Ah! Archrise!
by jacoblee0463
Summary: Thirty years have passed since the end of the Kronos War and the Revelation of Heaven to the world. And all is not well. Lind and Urd face challenges to their power while Jago slowly dies. And all the while the Forgotten Army grows in power, determined to take revenge for their past defeat. All they must do now, is kill the Seraph to claim victory... Part two of the Archangel Saga
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note: This introduction is meant for all of those who have yet to (or can't be bothered) to read my first story "Ah! Archfall!" I know it's rather long but you try shortening a forty-four chapter fic into less than one-hundred words per chapter! Anyway, this should hopefully lead you into the story.**

**I do not own the AMG/OMG franchise or any of its characters. All rights to the original owner.**

**The Story So Far**

Jago Finch was a relatively normal human. An Englishman, studying Biology in Manchester, he thought he had left his chequered past behind him. However, fate it seemed, had other ideas, for on a rainy night in February, a goddess fell to Earth before him. A soldier of Heaven, she had discovered treachery within the ranks of Heaven's army and so, her foes had tried to silence her. Gravely wounded, he had tried to help her but failed; she was already too far gone. But in return for his help, she granted him a single wish; to save her soul. As such, Jago became the custodian of her angel, a powerful Arch, who had no name.

An Arch was a rare angel sub-species, rarer even than twins and far more powerful, in the case of this one, being able to out-fight anybody in existence. Archs were also semi-autonomous, able to survive without a link to Yggdrasil, instead being able to use their host as an energy source. However, this power came at a cost; her magic and other skills were severely limited by her nature. Her only strength was fighting…

In response to the loss of this powerful goddess and her angel, Heaven dispatched the Valkyrie Captain Lind and her Apprentice, Chrono to track her down and discover their fate. Enlisting the help of Belldandy and Urd, Lind had tracked the angel to Manchester, hoping to seal her before she was fully bound to her new host, as not even the three of them would be able to bind a full-powered Arch. All they had to do was find her before she was named.

They failed. Jago named her Astrakhan Lamb and as such, she was permanently imprinted upon him. The process caught the attention of the three goddesses and they arrived just a split second too late to seal Lamb. Following a brief questioning, they discovered that Lamb had most of her memories sealed following the attack, preventing her from identifying the attacker. As such, it was deemed unsafe for her and Jago to remain in Manchester; they should travel to the Temple, where they could be safe until Lamb's memory returned. Lind took first watch.

After a drunken night on the town, Lind and Jago slept together, much to their mutual embarrassment but they had no time to become sentimental, as Hild soon arrived, bearing an ultimatum; either Jago surrender his angel or he must also adopt her foul tempered Archdevil who was later named Damascus. Shortly thereafter, Lind returned to Heaven in order to make her report to the Almighty One, while Jago and his Archs set out for the Temple, using Damascus's skills as a magic-based Arch to get them there.

Not long afterward, Lind returned from Heaven with grave news; Lord Deaderuss, the overall commander of Heaven's military and chief of the Praetorian Guard, the Valkyrie special forces, had declared Lind a traitor, both for failing to recover Lamb and for breaking her vow of celibacy, physically branding her, destroying her prized halberd and then banishing her to Earth until further notice, her powers greatly reduced. However, blaming herself more than Jago, she accepted her situation and eventually moved in with him, although they kept their relationship a secret from the others.

Soon after, in a bid to help provide for the Temple, Jago took on a high stakes mission, in order to set up a business that could support the extra visitors. It was during this period that he revealed his skills as a former street fighter, his strength now bolstered by Lamb's and also by the full awakening of his shadowy alter ego; Papa Jupiter. With it and with a little of Damascus's magic, he was able to recreate his families forge and foundry, using it as the basis for his new business. At approximately the same time, Mara retires from her work as a mischief maker, moving into the Temple and becoming somewhat of a recluse.

Evil had not been idle however. Upon discovering that Lamb was still alive and fearing what might happen if her memory was restored. As such, they dispatched Peorth to the temple… with the Angel-Eater hidden within her. The monster was eventually discovered, after Lamb was swallowed in an effort to save Gorgeous Rose and following a battle and high-speed chase, they were able to successfully able to capture the beast, saving the imprisoned Arch. Unfortunately, this is just the start of their problems.

The traitors successfully locked down Yggdrasil, releasing a stream of bugs on Earth, while simultaneously kidnapping the Bifrost Gate, blaming the situation on an attack by Jötunns; the frost giants who preyed on other worlds. As such, all angels on Earth had to remain present, if disguised, in order to prevent them from withering and dying, while their hosts were unable to return to Heaven.

Soon afterward, Toshiyuki Aoshima challenged the Temple residents to an amphibious car race across the city, while Jago's brother Bob arrived in hope of receiving some anger management training, which timed itself nicely with the beginning of Skuld's training as a Valkyrie. However, following an unfortunate incident between her and Bob, he is nearly kicked out of the Temple, although he is saved via a budding relationship with Chrono.

Upon returning to the temple, they discover that Jago is at Death's door; suffering from sporadic attacks of malaria since a trip to Africa a few years before, a bug has successfully merged with the parasite, turning it deadly. While Lind and Hild worked to save him, the others borrowed an aircraft and journeyed to Brazil to collect a drug that could save him. They manage it… by the skin of their teeth.

A month later, they are set forth on their race against Toshiyuki. Keiichi and Belldandy emerge the winners, following an attack by a golem, known as Juggernaut, on Jago's vehicle. It is determined that the creature is bent on killing Jago and as such, they plan to use a Gate to evacuate him and the Archs to Heaven, using one of Lamb's rare none-combat abilities to get them there; her ability to hack Gates. The plan goes smoothly, but at the last moment, the Gate is disrupted and with Jago sealed into a bubble for his own protection, Lamb takes matters into her own hands, using her Prime powers to attack the monster.

Prime is an Arch's last resort; supercharging them for up to a minute, at the risk of killing them outright. Lamb survives but fails to defeat Juggernaut, leaving Jago to use Jupiter to defeat the golem. Enraged by Lamb having sealed him in a bubble, Jago leaves on a two month sabbatical into the mountains. He is accompanied by Cool Mint and via long-range communication, he and Lind affirm that they love one another, as corny as that may sound. However, just as they are preparing to return home, they make a discovery; Lamb has gone missing. They finally track her to Toshiyuki, who appears to be a spy for the traitor and having drugged her, is preparing to rape and then murder Lamb. Luckily, Jago had a bigger knife.

A quick interrogation confirms that he is indeed working for the traitor but they are unable to discover the traitor's name, only their purpose; they mean to bring back Kronos, a powerful Titan who ruled the world until the gods and demons rebelled against him and sealed him in the prison of Ginnungagap. Unable to contact Heaven, they instead warn Hild, who promises to inform the Almighty One, this situation being bigger than a petty war between their races. But this is not the only reason that she came to Earth…

Apparently, Jupiter's presence had been causing all kind of problems, going so far as to destabilise the Nidhogg system through his pure levels of evil energy. In order to combat this, she suggests that Jago take on a particularly dangerous job; he should become the Paladin, which would equalise the levels of energy within him, balancing Jupiter's evil with good. While there however, she also takes the opportunity to reveal something; Lind is pregnant with Jago's son, a half-breed demi-god. As such and at Lind's insistence, Jago signs up for the Deity Games, Heaven's equivalent of the Olympics.

Soon afterward, they receive a visit from both Lady Anzus and from Valmeyar; a powerful Praetorian commander and Lind's mother. It is at this point that she reveals one of Lind's darkest secrets; she is the Almighty One's daughter and being the eldest pure goddess, she was meant to be the first in line for the throne. However, to avoid political embarrassment and scandal, she was disowned, without any knowledge of her father, in the hope that she would be killed in service of the Valkyries. Yeah… that worked out well…

After visiting Jago's mother, a former computer programmer to upgrade their plane, they successfully make it to Heaven without the need for a Gate, at which point they are arrested, released, introduced to Lord Deaderuss and the Almighty One and get into a fight with Lind's half-sister Irpa. It was then time for the Games themselves, with Jago acing his first two events; Metal Working and the Test of Courage. The third event however…

His last task was one-on-one duels, defeating one opponent and then another, until finally, he would have to face the Champion. Whish he did. It was Lind.

After a brutal and long-running battle which exhausted Lind, the Mint Sister's the Archs and Jago himself, he was finally able to defeat her by drawing first blood, via a ring of sharpened pennies concealed within the brim of his hat. Following this, Jago was proclaimed Paladin, official Guardian of Earth and balancing entity for Heaven and Hell. Unfortunately, victory was short lived, as the Traitor succeeded in releasing the dragon Gandamak from Ginnungagap, at which point, he wreaked havoc, injuring the Almighty and destroying the Valkyrie barracks, before facing Damascus in her Prime form and being forced to flee.

Following this (and a shotgun marriage between Belldandy and Keiihci), Jago proposed a daring mission to find and defeat the dragon; he would personally lead a small team into Jötunheim, the land of the frost giants, to track down the dragon and therefore remove the need for a full scale invasion, which would undoubtedly lead to war. Accompanied by Deaderuss's seemingly disgraced Apprentice, Weth and with Troubadour as a guide, they headed out and following an ambush, capture and a series of running battles, which resulted in the recovery of a Valkyrie known as Kayrune, who revealed that the traitor was one of the Praetorians, they track the dragon to his cave.

After defeating Gandamak however, Jupiter makes a move, stealing Jago's ID and disappearing into the deep recesses of his mind, into which, Lind, her angels and Jago's Arch's pursue, aided by his other alter-ego, Brother Pluto. Following an incident with Cool Mint and a slice of cake, which thereby created a temporal causality loop, they accidentally set Jago onto his current path, while also learning a little about his past, including his time as a drug-dealer, the accidental death of a friend and the subsequent murder that led to the birth of Jupiter, as well as some of his greatest fears. Eventually, they track down Jupiter, restore Jago's ID and with a final effort, convince Gandamak to join their side, as a spy and deputy.

Following this, the main party returns to Earth, where Belldandy and Keiihci are finally officially married, while Jago acquires a jar of Borrowed Time from Hild, in return for his services. However, during a group holiday to a hot-spring, the traitors finally become fed up with their lack of success and launch a full scale attack on them. Deaderuss is revealed to be the traitor, as was his equivalent in Hell and backed by a host of Praetorians, they set out to kill Lamb once and for all, plus Damascus and Jago for good measure. Our hero's fend off the attack, with the help of Gandamak but not without loss; Cool Mint is killed, Belldandy is separated from Holybell and kidnapped by a Death Gleaner, a giant bat that guards the entrance to Ginnungagap, Lind is stabbed in the womb, causing her to lose the baby and Lamb loses her wings, leaving her to slowly die.

Lind and Jago go on the run, hiding out in one of the safe-houses from Jago's dealing days, from which he launches a one-man assault on Heaven, with the recently converted Weth at his side. He confronts Deaderuss and Lamb defeats him, almost at the cost of her life. He escapes but his treachery is revealed and Lamb's wings are restored by Tyr (the Almighty One), allowing her to survive. From there, Jago, Keiichi, the Archs and Holybell travel to the Land of the Dead and from there, to Ginnungagap , where they recover Belldandy and restore her angel but not before they encounter Prometheus; another of the Titans and the creator of humanity. He reveals the purpose of Jago's alter-egos; they are the human versions of angels, the Opal-essences, created so that humanity could compete on the same level as the gods but sealed as they were seen as being too powerful. Jago's were activated by his combined exposure to a horrifying experience (the death of his friend), coupled with the arrival of his Archs, effectively turning him into the most powerful being in all of history, bar the Titans themselves. Then, following a bargain with Death himself (a tiny old Jamaican man who calls himself D) and with the ghost of Lamb's former Mistress, they manage to buy back Cool Mint's soul, in return for the jar of Borrowed Time.

They return to Earth via the portal on the lost island of Avalon, where they are met with more news; Lind was carrying twins, of which the girl-child still lives, while Lind herself has her second angel restored, although now earning herself the nickname "four-wing Lind". However, the jubilations are quickly interrupted with the news that Deaderuss has returned, backed by all by Valmeyar's Praetorians and an army of Jötunns, under the command of King Surtr. They hasten back to Heaven and while Jago and most of the group set up a defence line and start to evacuate the wounded and the civilians, Lind goes in search of Tyr, as nothing can be done without an Almighty One to lead them.

She quickly discovers that both Tyr and Hild have been captured and have been taken to Jötunheim, effectively leaving both Heaven and Hell leaderless. In a rapid vote between the few remaining senior goddesses, in which Jago is forced to reveal that Lind is in fact Tyr's daughter, it is decided that Lind should take over as the Almighty One until further notice. From there, Jago and Urd travel to Hell and manage to set up a power-sharing deal between Hagall and Urd, as neither of the influence to rule Hell on their own. From there, they head back to Heaven and seeing as "the enemy of my enemy is my friend", they combine the forces of Heaven and Hell in a last ditch attempt to hold back the attack.

With their forces stretched to the limit by the combined forces of the Praetorians and the Jötunns, Heaven is almost overwhelmed, as most of the Valkyries and Niflguard were either killed or captured at the start of the battle, leaving the Auxiliaries and the Specials (militia) to hold the line, while their enemies start to use human weapons, which they bought through Toshiyuki, against them. At the last minute, Lind authorises Valmeyar to use the Titanium Rain Protocol, whereby they use their own network of spies, hidden within the United Nations, to bring in reinforcements from the human militaries. The catch is, in return for their support, Heaven and Hell must make a public declaration of their existence to the Earth (there is no way they could hide an operation of this size) but this is seen as a small price to pay.

With their forces bolstered by humanities fire-power, they turn the tide and dive back their foes, only for at that moment, for a chance encounter between Kayrune and Lamb, to unlock Lamb's memories. Most of them are now redundant but there is one that isn't; Lamb's Mistress was assassinated, partly because she knew who that Deaderuss was the traitor… and partly, because she was the only goddess who could reliably hack Gates. And with the Praetorians and Jötunns using a Gate to bring in reinforcements…

Together, they tracked down the captured Bifrost Gate and recovered her, resorting her to her previous form, before preparing to evacuate themselves. However, they quickly realise they have little time left; Valmeyar had authorised the use of a neutron bomb to clear Heaven of enemies and they evacuated, with just seconds to spare. This was however, part of Deaderuss's plan. He was aware of the planned use of the bomb and it is revealed that only through the death of almost every Jötunn and Praetorian would allow the gates to Ginnungagap to open and for Kronos to escape. The bomb was his means for this to occur.

Aware of the escape of Kronos, Valmeyar is punished, while Lind, Urd and Hagall are forced to make their revelation of existence to the world. However, during the revelation ceremony, Deaderuss appears, challenging Jago to a duel, as he is meant to be the protector of the Earth. He then reveals just how hopelessly outgunned the man is; as Deaderuss was unable to support an angel, due to some genetic freak, in return for his loyalty, Kronos gifted him with an Empty, an emotionless, near unstoppable angel/parasite that sucks the power from other angels. Jago is forced to accept, knowing full well that he and the Archs don't stand a chance, even with the support of the Opal-essences. What they needed was help…

Needing some way to defeat Deaderuss and his Empty, known as Gracious Penitence, Jago and Lind are forced to search out the only ones who might know how to fight them; Hild and Tyr. As such, they lead a last, desperate raid on the Jötunn fortress of Jötunberg, hoping to rescue them. Once there, Jago is faced by Surtr and defeats him in a duel (but not without first losing and then regrowing his arm) and both the Jötunns and remaining Praetorians are defeated, although a handful who remain loyal to Deaderuss, despite his treachery towards them.

Finally, armed with the information on how to defeat his foe, Jago and the Archs face off against Deaderuss and Gracious Penitence. Lamb, who was once the twin of Gracious Penitence before she was corrupted and became an Empty, and with the help of Damascus, manages to defeat a pair of Gracious Penitence's Flesh Avatars, at the cost of their ability to use their Prime forms and trick her into feeling emotions once more. Meanwhile, Jago, with the help of both Opal-essences, holds off Deaderuss, trying to stall him until his Archs can complete their work; it works and Gracious Penitence reverts back from an Empty into an Arch, meaning that Deaderuss is unable to support her. In his fury and disgust, he banishes her and sets about trying to destroy Jago and the Archs. He ALMOST succeeds but together, they activate Jago's Ragnarok Protocol; his ability to combine all sources of energy within himself into a single, unstoppable entity, more powerful even than a Titan. Together, the creature known of Hades, composed of Jago's ID, Jupiter, Pluto, Lamb and Damascus, defeat the Deaderuss in his true form, forcing him to revert back to his human shape, before banishing Kronos back to Ginnungagap. However, Jago's body is heavily damaged in the battle and he dies soon afterward…

He is successfully restored via another deal with Death, who was willing to trade Jago's soul for the last of his Borrowed Time. Now, it was time for celebration. Kronos was banished once more, Deaderuss imprisoned somewhere that only Jago knew and all seemed to be well… However, it was not so. Lind's promotion to Almighty One was meant to be temporary; only for the duration of the current crisis. However, the High Council, the governing body for all realms, took the view that Lind should become the new, permanent Almighty One, while Jago was to have limited access to Heaven and therefore to both her and to his daughter, in order to preserve neutrality (he was the balancing entity after all). It was a sad ending, lots of tears. And then, a few months later, their daughter was born. They named her Temeraire. The story goes from there.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1**

**Dancing With the Devil**

The bitter wind howled through the mountains and down the valleys of Jötunnheim, carrying a promise of snow. It was always snowing in Jötunnheim and little wonder; this entire world was one vast mountain range, stretching from pole to pole. Every mountain was as high as the highest of Earth's mountains, with many being higher, all scoured clear of life by the constant wind and snow. Only in the deepest of valleys could there be life. Thin, sickly pines sprouted from the weak soil, growing for no more than a few days in each year. Few animals dwelled within these forests and those that did had to be as tough and unforgiving as the landscape in which they lived. Those that didn't or which became too old or weak or sick would be killed, either by the weather or by the Jötunns in their endless search for food. Jötunns… the most vile of races. They were frost giants, created as servants to the original gods, the Titans but banished when the Lords of Heaven and hell had come, leaving them to rot in this hellhole. Ranging from six to twenty-five feet tall, with bigger giants being those with the greatest power and influence, the Jötunns were force to be reckoned with. Cannibals and murderers, they preyed on whatever they could catch, their blue skin blending seamlessly in the pale light of the world's weak sun, their presence only revealed by the flash of their glowing red eyes as they searched for their prey. But now, the power of the Jötunns was broken. The humans had come, with fire and firepower, backed by the survivors of the armies of Heaven and Hell. Together, the allied armies had fallen on the fortress of Jötunnberg, a fortress carved from the heart of a mountain, that reached so high into the sky that its top could not be seen. But as mighty as they were, the Jötunns had no answer to the human's weapons. They had come with tanks and bombers and gunships, raining death on the giants, with weapons which the monsters could not effectively counter. They had fought back, with knives of bone and fists and with old human weapons, scrounged, battered or stolen from whoever they could find. But against the combine of the armies of Earth, Heaven and Hell, the giants had fallen. And now, the Jötunnberg lay in ruins, destroyed by the wrath of those who had suffered so much by Jötunn hands. And from a ridge overlooking the fortress, a man stood, his cloak whipping in the wind. He wore the brown robes of a minstrel, with his dark hair drawn back into a ponytail and long pointed ears, like an elf. Only the mark on his forehead betrayed his true lineage; a half-moon crescent, surrounding a perfect circle. He was an Earth spirit, a plum-tree spirit to be exact. He was loyal to Heaven or at least he had been. His name was Troubadour. And he looked down with disgust at the ruins of the fortress, watching the last of the humans withdrew, followed by their goddess and demon comrades.

"Puny monsters" he said and then turned away, heading towards the shadows of the forest, his heart heavy, for he had lost everything. When he had discovered that Urd, his one-time lover and eldest daughter to the then Almighty One, had replaced her mother as the ruler of Hell, he had flown into a rage. You see, to become the ruler of Hell or Daimankaichō, Urd had been forced to become a demon and as an Earth spirit, this had deeply offended Troubadour. And in his rage, he had left her, but not before she and her angel, World of Elegance, had kicked him hard in the crotch. And it had all been the Paladin's fault. Yes, Jago was to blame. He had somehow tricked Urd into accepting the job, even when that other demon, Hagall, had been perfectly able to fulfil the role on her own. She had done it once and she could do it again. But now, the Paladin had turned his darling Urd against him. And Troubadour had tried to exact his revenge. Abandoning Heaven for the Praetorian Guard, a group of goddesses and demons who had once been the two side's most elite fighters but who had been decimated during the invasion of Heaven, having turned against them under the orders of their commander, the traitor, Lord Deaderuss. But then Deaderuss himself had turned against them, using his Praetorians as a living sacrifice to try and restore one of the Titans to his former power. In a fit of desperation, Troubadour had joined their ranks and he had attacked the things Paladin Jago valued the most; his wife, lover and mother of his unborn child, Valkyrie goddess Lind and his two Archangels, Astrakhan Lamb and Damascus. And he would have succeed in killing them, thereby punishing Jago for his corruption of Urd, if it had not been for the interference for that bastard of an Earth spirit, Jeiko Sukaru. Jeiko had beaten Troubadour in single combat, even though he had been beaten and starved, forcing Troubadour to flee, a disgraced traitor of the highest degree. And so, here he now was, trudging through the snow of Jötunnheim, his heart broken and his mind on fire. But unbeknownst to him, he was being followed.

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The creature was called a Frost-fiend, a vicious ambush predator that stalked the mountains of Jötunnheim in search of prey. A distant cousin of the Jötunns, it was nicknamed the avalanche giant due to its preferred method of hunting; it would create an avalanche and would then use its wings to rise down across its surface, crushing its prey beneath it and then eating it at leisure. But today, this wouldn't happen. Is slowly clacked its beak as it loped down the slope towards the Earth spirit, using drifts and mounds for cover, closing steadily on its prey. And then, as it readied itself for a final rush to take its prey by surprise, it sensed a disturbance in the air. It was slight, almost like a whisper… the sound of snowflakes falling at _just _the wrong time or in _just_ the wrong place. But as soon as it was there, it was gone, almost as if it had never happened. So the creature decided to ignore it. There were few things that could challenge the full might of a Frost-fiend in this world. Even the mighty dragon, Gandamak, would think twice before it picked a fight with a beast like this. But unbeknownst to it, it itself had just become the hunted.

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Troubadour paused in his march, sensing something. Something was wrong. Something was following him. Slowly, he reached under his cloak, grasping the hilt of his rapier. Whatever it was, it would soon find that he would be no easy prey. An Earth spirit he may be but he had travelled for many years and had fought many foes, becoming one of the most powerful beings in the universe, on a par with a First Class god in strength. But as the snow bank beside him exploded in a flurry of flakes, his face paled. It was a Frost-fiend and even the Paladin himself had struggled to kill one of these foul creatures. There was no time to run. Nowhere to hide. All he could do was fight and hope. And so, the disgraced Earth spirit raided his rapier and prepared for death… and then the creature exploded. Literally exploded. Guts went EVERYWHERE. And he blinked.

"What was that?" he muttered to himself, looking around. And then he swivelled, placing the blade on the throat of the being who had landed behind him. "Who are you?" he demanded.

"That's a little rude" she said, glaring at him along the length of his sword.

"Well I can tell you what you are; you're an angel".

"Well look at the fucking genius" she said, shaking her wings to knock some of the snow free. "And if you must know, I just saved your life from that monster". Troubadour glanced back to the steaming remains of the Frost-fiend and then back at the angel… who had gone. "I'm over here" she said and he turned to see her over on his left. He swivelled, aiming his sword at her again as she folded her arms across her chest. "Put it down" she said with a sigh. "I don't want you doing anything stupid". Troubadour snorted and kept his blade in place.

"You wish" he said. "Now tell me, who-" Before he could finish the sentence, the angel stepped forward and knocked the tip of his rapier away with her hand, before delivering a sharp chop to his arm, shutting down the nerves and forcing him to drop the sword.

"Now maybe we can talk" she said, tossing her raven hair as Troubadour gasped, holding his deadened arm. "I have been searching for you Troubadour. I have come to help you". Troubadour looked sceptical.

"Why? Why would you search for me? Who is your Master?" The angel shrugged, her face grim.

"I no longer have a Master; he severed me from himself. I am an Archangel without an owner… in much the same position as you I believe".

"How do you mean?"

"You have lost the love of your life to the Paladin and his cronies, am I right?" Troubadour nodded. "Well it was the same man who caused me to lose my Master. We are kindred spirits, you and I. And as such, I came searching for you. I thought that perhaps we might be of service to one another". Troubadour's brow creased as he considered this. And he considered her. She was beautiful; a shining pillar of naked radiance. And I mean truly naked. Not a stitch. Not that she seemed to mind. Even in the biting cold and wind of the mountain wind, she stood beautiful and unabashed, flaunting her curves to him. But he was not so easily seduced.

"You look just like-"

"I'm her twin. We shared a Mistress for many years until I became sick and she severed her me from her. And now I have lost my new Master to her again. That is why I have come to you Troubadour. I want your help".

"What are you saying?" Troubadour said and the angel growled.

"I'm saying, you thick headed Earth spirit, that with my help, we can get revenge on those who have wronged us both. You may kill Lord Sukaru and the Paladin and in return…"

"In return?"

"In return, I want to kill Striking Twilight… or rather, I want to kill Striking Twilight as she is called now. No, not just kill her; I want her to SUFFER". And Troubadour looked in fear at the beautiful, naked being before him and gulped before steeling himself.

"Do you have a plan?"

"I always have a plan". He nodded.

"Very well then, I accept you offer". The angel smiled. "But, if we are to work together, I will need to know your name". And still smiling, the angel stepped forward, planting a kiss upon his lips.

"You may call me Gracious Penitence… Master".


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 2**

**The New World**

A lot can happen in thirty years. Indeed, a lot HAD happened. Thirty years of exposure to Heaven, Hell and every other realm in the universe had changed the world beyond all recognition. And nowhere more so than the island of Avalon. When it had first been raised, it had been nothing more than a ruin, encrusted with seaweed and barnacles. Now, the city of Valhalla had been rebuilt, restored to its former glory. Shining towers of white granite rose into the sky, replacing the marble ones that had once stood there. The streets were packed as this city had become the first neutral zone in the world, where humans, gods, demons and beings of every other race could mix and coexist in peace. It was a city of more than a million people, a shining example to the world and second only in splendour to Heaven itself in beauty. Its tree lined vistas and shining avenues were gay with colour and music. But the city did not cover the whole island. Beyond the outermost suburbs of Valhalla, there lay majestic woods and parks, that stretched as far as the eye could see. The forests teemed with life, ranging from the tiniest of insects and the most iridescent of hummingbirds, all the way up to the things like the mighty mapinguari and the Mokèlé-mbèmbé. And out on the northernmost point of the island, there stood a forge and foundry. It was squat and low, powered by waterwheels and created solely to create so that beautiful things of metal could be made. Outside, a heavily modified Unimog U5000 truck was parked up comfortably alongside a now antique Ferrari Enzo, both in immaculate condition. And beyond them, nestled against the edge of the cliff, was a lighthouse, attached to a large granite built cottage. A peaceful scene for any casual onlooker. But do not be fooled, as this was the house of the Paladin, the most powerful warrior who had ever lived and so, the house was heavily fortified. The river that flowed around the property on both sides, only to tumble over the edge of the cliffs and down to the beach bellow would be impossible for anyone to cross without difficulty; the saltwater crocodiles made sure of that. Even the trees were dangerous, made so by the disguised sentry turrets. This was a house that had been built with a purpose. It was meant to keep anyone who lived there safe. It was just as well. At the moment, he was asleep.

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"Master…" Jago gave a grunt. "Maaasssttteeerrr". He grunted again and made a vague grumbling noise. "Come one Master, it's time to get up".

"Just bit him already!"

"You bite him! You've got fangs!"

"I'm not biting him! Last time I did that, he kicked me in the face!" Lamb sighed at Damascus and turned back to their sleeping Master. "Come on Master, you can't sleep all day…" Jago simply rolled over, pulling the blanket over his head, making Lamb sigh. She took a deep breath and Damascus instinctively covered her ears. "MASTER!" Jago shot five feet straight up, wrapping himself around the light on the ceiling. "Morning Master!" Lamb said cheerfully she smiled up at him.

"Morning girls" he called back, dropping back to the bed and then he frowned. "You didn't have to do that you know" he said to Lamb, wiggling a finger in his ear. Lamb snorted.

"You wouldn't wake and we've been trying for an hour! Besides" she said, folding her arms across her bosom, "you snore!" Jago chuckled and rubbed his chin as Damascus handed him a mug of tea, which he accepted gratefully as he took in the sight of the two beauties before him. The one on the left was a tall and attractive devil. She was slim and petite, with very pale skin and she wore nothing but a pair of cloth wraps that covered her bust, waist and upper thighs. Her hands were slender and delicate, each tipped with a long, claw-like nail, which he knew from experience, were sharp enough to cause serious damage if she needed to. Her entire body was covered in dark grey tattoos, which seemed to shift as she moved, almost like rippling water and from her back, sprouted a pair of deep purple bat's wings, which at their greatest extent, had a span of about eighteen feet. Her hair was the same shade as her wings and stuck out from the right side of her head in a long, ragged spike, while a cruel smile played across her lips, flashing her short fangs. She had originally had four of them but during the final battle with Deaderuss, she had had one knocked out and unable to replace it, she was now left with a gap-toothed smile. But her eyes were still the same; deep orange and with a touch of cruelty, marking her as one who was truly malevolent. But with a touch of sadness too, as if she had lost someone dear to her and didn't want to think about it. She used to have a different name. She had once been known as Nightmare, for she and her Mistress had created them, as an alternate source of energy, in order to keep it running. Now however, she was known by a different name. She was Damascus.

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The one on the right was different. She was a BIG girl. Damascus was tall and slim but she was taller, closer to Jago's height and she bustier, much to the devil's annoyance. She wore the same kind of wraps as Damascus but hers were less conservative in style, leaving much of her shoulders and midriff seductively exposed. Her wings were also different; snowy white and covered in soft feathers, they stretched to twenty feet across and in a world where wings-size was equated to power, hers were about as big as they came. But what always struck Jago was her face. She was truly beautiful, in a way that the glossy shots of plastic skinned models from the magazines could only hope to be. Her lips held a small smile, as if she had just thought of something funny, but not enough to laugh about. Her hair was shoulder length and as tightly coiled as the fleece of a new born lamb, but jet black in colour. But it was her eyes that held him. Bright and smiling, with a spark of mischief and a deep shade of purple, with amber flecks across each iris. Eyes so deep, he thought he might drown in them. But for all her beauty, it would do well not to be fooled; she was a warrior. Born to a soldier of Heaven, she had made her first kill before she was even an hour old, earning her the name Striking Twilight. Years later however, she had discovered treachery in Heaven which had cause her fall to Earth, which subsequently earned her a new name and a new Master. She was Astrakhan Lamb, the Fighting Archangel. And she raised an eyebrow.

"You're staring Master" she said, snapping Jago out of his thoughts.

"Sorry" he said sheepishly. "Thirty years I've been with you two and every day, I still think back on how lucky I am to have two girls as beautiful, strong and talented as you".

"God that was corny" Damascus said.

"Yeah, it was a bit" Jago admitted as he took a swig of tea and his Archs looked at him expectantly. "Was… there… something we were supposed to do today?" he asked and the pair sighed.

"Master, we were supposed to visit Lind today" Lamb said and Jago nearly choked on his tea.

"Holy shit! I forgot! Why didn't you wake me?"

"We tried" Damascus said. "You didn't want to get up". Jago growled to himself and started to struggle into his cloths.

"Right you two back inside! We need to go!" The pair smiled and nodded, disappearing into the small of Jago's back as he struggled into his shirt. "Hey, where's my trousers?" he demanded and he felt the link as Damascus contacted him mentally.

"_Where you left them Master" _she said.

"_But where did I leave them?"_

_"How should I know? I'm your devil, not your mother!"_

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Jago grinned as he pulled the door closed behind him. To look at him, you wouldn't think that this was the most powerful fighter the world had ever seen. He looked about twenty-five but in truth, his Paladin rank had granted him immortality, meaning he was in fact closer to fifty. A former student at Manchester Metropolitan University, he was six feet and two-hundred and fourty pounds, having been slowly losing weight since he took the job. In his own words; built like a brick shit-house. Beneath the layer of fat that covered his hulking frame, were muscles strong enough to lift a grown man with one hand, tempered by hard work, rather than by gyms. His well-worn cloths helped to hide his strength. A t-shirt which had probably been black in a previous life but had now faded to grey, with the words "You can't scare me, I have children" embossed across the chest. A second-hand leather jacket, black with white sleeves, the word "Dwayne" printed on the right arm, just above the elbow and much repaired, following years of battle damage. Only his boots were new. Size twelve. Sturdy. Strong enough to kick the shit out the nastiest of monsters. His hair was a mop of tightly curled brown locks, so tangled that they would break any comb that came near, although it was mostly covered by a battered black Stetson, with a brass badge of a rearing, chained horse, standing on the globe against an image of a lightning bolt; the symbol of a British army regiment, the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers. But it was his eyes that gave away his character. A deep brown-green with a sparkle of mischief. And the smile. It was a smile of both friendliness and warning. One that people knew that if it disappeared, they would live long enough to wonder why. It was the smile of someone who had seen the joke of life, realised that it was on him and had thought that this was funny. A man who would help those he could, when he could. A man who would gladly crush an enemy but who also knew how to forgive. But to look at him, you wouldn't think that he was a warrior, especially not one so formidable the he was known as Paladin. The only giveaway was the tiny symbol of an inverted hammer on his forehead, a sign of his true strength. For Paladin he was, not to mention Twoarchs and husband to Lind, mightiest of Heaven's Valkyries and current Almighty One. There were two reasons for this; his Archs and his Opal-essences. He had saved Astrakhan Lamb when her Mistress had been assassinated, taking her inside him and permanently binding the two together. Damascus had come later, her Mistress being the doublet to Lamb's and she had taken longer to fully bond to Jago. But eventually, she had and a good thing too. Without them, Jago would never have become as strong as he was. He would never have mastered the Opal-essences.

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The Opal-essences were the human equivalent of angels, a reflection of a being's soul and condition. However, whereas an angel needed to be implanted via the swallowing of an angel egg, the Opal-essences were within all humans, it was just that very few had access to them. This was because back at the dawn of their race, back when the gods had rebelled against the old rulers, the Titans, over the right for humans to exist, the Opal-essences had been sealed, to prevent humans from becoming too powerful. But a few could access them. Every person had a monster inside them or so it was said. This was generally the dark one, for they all had two. The dark one was the embodiment of evil, capable of destroying the world on its own. The other was aligned with light and as such, it was generally a kinda being but harder to unlock. But through the power of his Archs, Jago had managed both. And with the combined power of both his Archs and his Opal-essences, he was unstoppable. He had driven back Kronos, defeating his flesh avatar in single combat and banishing the most powerful of Titans back to his prison realm. But now, this most powerful of warriors was scared. He was late. And for all his power, he didn't want a mad Lind on his hands.

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Valhalla. The city of peace. Rebuilt from the ground up. And home to the Guardian Corp. Jago had created them about twenty years ago as relations between had become more complex between humans and the other realms. At the time, there had been an increase in the number of creature attacks which had been occurring and Jago was struggling to stay on top of it all. And so, the Guardians had been created to take some of the pressure off. Essentially, they were a police force, made up volunteers from every race in the world, including humans, who strove to protect and serve the nine realms. They kept the peace, defeated monsters and dealt with issues that overlapped different species. If a demon granted a particularly destructive wish or a human attacked an Earth spirit as he went about his duties, it was the Guardians who would deal with them. But they were not just a police force. If need be, every member could be mobilised into a formidable army, perhaps not a match for the full might of the Valkyries or Niflguard but certainly powerful enough to drive back the monsters and Jötunn raids that occurred sporadically across the globe. They had an office in every major city on Earth and with their access to a plethora of advanced and powerful combat transports, they were trained to be able to face any threat within five minutes, anywhere in the world. And as Valhalla was the primary place where most races were likely to meet, it was where their biggest headquarters was. And this was where Jago was headed. He slewed his Unimog to a halt outside the building and leapt nimbly down from the cab before turning and heading inside, where he paused to nod female Lorelei who sat behind the desk.

"Morning Sephora" he said and she smiled back at him.

"Good morning Lord Paladin" she said and then glanced at the clock on the opposite wall. "You're late you know" she said. "Lind is NOT going to be happy with you".

"I know, I know" Jago said, shaking his head. "But first, usual stuff. What calamities have struck us since I was last in?" The mermaid shrugged, rifling through her papers.

"Usual stuff; Weth will fill you in". Jago nodded and tipped his hat to her before heading deeper into the building, towards Weth's office. As he went, the people inside paused in their work and smiled, some waving or even stopping to bow. He returned all of their gestures, appreciative of his soldiers. Many he had known from the Kronos War, ex-Valkyries and Niflguard who had fought alongside him during the battles in Heaven and the raid on Jötunnheim, to recover Tyr and Hild from imprisonment. Friends and comrades one and all. At last, he finally came to the office he was looking for and knocked, pushing the door open. And there was Weth. She was older than when he had first met her, all those years ago, when she had tried to kill him during the Deity Games. She had originally looked around about sixteen but now, she was closer to twenty-five and still as tall and pretty as the day they had met. She was on the phone when he entered but smiled at him and spoke to the person on the other end.

"Sorry, I'll call you back; my boss is here". With that, she put the phone down, her tin legs clunking slightly. "Master! It's good to see you!" She grasped Jago by the arm and slapped him on the back as she led him inside, closing the door behind him. "How've you been?" Jago smiled as he took a seat, smiling at his former Apprentice. Weth had originally been Deaderuss's Apprentice and had originally been ordered to kill Jago but she had grown attached to both him and his angels, to the point that she changed sides and had ended up as Jago's Apprentice, losing her legs from the knees down to a Jötunn tank shell during the Battle for Hero's Plaza, before helping Lord Sukaru to buy them time to escape to Earth. After the end of the Kronos War, she had become Jago's Apprentice his First Deputy full time and had helped him to protect the Earth for the better part of ten years, until Jago had rewarded her by making her the head of his Guardian Corp. From then on, they had worked together to protect the world.

"I'm good" Jago said. "So, what's been happening since I was last here? Anything I should know about?" Weth shrugged as she sat back down.

"Usual stuff; kaiju attack in Lima, nothing major. The local Guardian team was able to stop it from reaching the city until we were able to deploy the Isolus. It didn't last long after that". Jago grinned. Looks like the Isolus was already earning its keep.

"Anything else?"

"A few odds and sods. The Humanists are acting up again and we broke up another of their Bliss rackets. Usual black-market crap". This made Jago pause. A kaiju attack was one thing but giant monsters were easy enough to deal with; just point and fire. But these other problems were much more down to Earth and difficult to deal with. The Humanists were a series of groups from across the world, fervently opposed to all other races, believing that humans should be the sole owners of Earth. They were for the most part harmless; individual households or at best, small communities who were hostile to the other races. However, at their most extreme, whole regions of even countries had shut themselves off from the outside world, with other beings barred from entering on pain of death. While many of these regions had eventually collapsed, some were still managing to operate, to the extent that they were still capable of fielding a sizeable military force, which they used to launch guerrilla and terrorist attacks on areas that were known to have accepted the other races. And even many of these collapsed realms were still dangerous, becoming lawless failed states, rife with prejudice and home to criminal scavenger gangs. This where Bliss came in. It had originally been created as a combat drug for Valkyries, meant to boost their performance in battle, in a similar way to what would happen if she had become pregnant, tripling her strength and power for a short period. However, it had been discontinued after it was found that not only was it extremely addictive but also did permanent physiological damage, often sending the users into a blind rage, until they finally burned out and died from exhaustion. All of the stocks were supposed to have been destroyed but apparently some had survived and some unscrupulous being had taken to selling it to humans, which was a problem as it made your average human as powerful as a first year Valkyrie before their hearts eventually exploded. It was a sorry state of affairs.

"Right" Jago said, rubbing his brows with one hand. "Sounds like you've been having fun then". Weth sighed.

"I should never have taken this job…" But then she grinned. "You're a bastard Jago Finch".

"Well that I am" he agreed and then he stood. "Sorry I can't stay and chat today but I'm already running late. I need to find Jeiko and get going. We'll have a proper chat the next time I'm in the area, ok?" Weth snorted.

"You're always on the move" she said.

"Well of course. If I stood still for too long, I would be an easy target". Weth laughed.

"Well you're not easy to miss!"

"You saying I'm fat?" They both chuckled and then Weth remembered something.

"Oh, before you go, Skuld wanted to see you. She wants you to field test some new gear for her the next chance you get. She says she'll be in the workshop all day so you can drop by after you see Lind but she also says if you break her prototypes while you're fighting again, she'll have you served up for dinner!" Jago laughed.

"She wishes! She may be an Engineer Arch but she'll have to do more than make a few fancy toys to beat me!" With that, he pulled the door closed, leaving Weth in peace. Quietly, her angel, Solar Radiance, appeared behind her, her fiery red hair gleaming slightly.

"You're still sweet on him, aren't you?" she asked casually, earning her a look from Weth.

"Well… yes. I betrayed him twice and nearly got Lind killed but he was still able to forgive me and that was more than Deaderuss ever did for us".

"You know, Lind would probably kill you, skin you and use your hide as a trampoline if she knew?" Weth shrugged.

"Probably. But it's never going to come to anything. Lind and Jago are happily married, with two kids now. I wouldn't want to do anything to drive them apart". Solar Radiance smiled and disappeared back inside her Mistress. It was good to know that her Mistress was at least keen on someone… even if that someone was someone she would never be able to have.

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Heaven. The shining city. It had taken years to restore it but it was finally done. And now, it was once more the jewel of all of the nine realms. Valhalla was a place of beauty, especially for a city on Earth but nothing could compete with the majesty and splendour of Heaven. The gleaming towers and golden vistas were a joy to behold, even for those with the weariest of eyes. Splendid towers soared so high that the tops could not be seen. Others were thin and spindly but grew into great plateaus, many miles across. And every street was filled with a multitude of beings; gods, goddesses and Earth spirits, every being aligned to the light and more beautiful than the last. And then, through the peace and serenity of the city, came the rumble of an engine as a motorcycle. It was a black and silver Triumph Thunderbird from 1966, the last of the old breed. It was beautiful machine, even though it looked out of place in Heaven, its black and silver colour standing out sharply in this world of white and gold. And its rider stood out too; she was a powerfully built woman in a full set of black leathers and a full helmet that covered and protected her face. Her jacket was plain black and a little worn but still in good condition, despite its age. Her helmet and trousers were black and white, with the words "Almighty Rider" embossed on both and ending a in a pair of heavy boots. People turned to stare as she rode through the streets, her gaze locked straight ahead as she headed directly towards the central palace or rather, the Bastion as it was now called. She slowed as she approached, pulling to a stop just outside and she killed the engine, clambering off and heading inside, where she approached the desk in the centre of the foyer.

"Good morning my Lady" the goddess at the desk said cheerfully as Lind pulled off her helmet and shook out her powder-blue hair, running her fingers through it.

"Good morning" she said. "Is Peorth in yet?" The goddess nodded and Lind thanked her before turning and heading towards the lift which would carry her up to the Yggdrasil control room. The door opened and she stepped out into the brilliant light of the control room, humming softly to herself, her helmet under one arm. "Morning Peorth" she said, approaching the goddess Aggregate, Principle Representative. Peorth turned and smiled to her, bowing her head.

"Good morning Almighty One" she said with a smirk, knowing how much Lind hated being called that. Lind's eyebrow twitched slightly, the only sign of her annoyance.

"Morning Peorth" Lind said and then sighed. "You know, if you were on of my Valkyries, I would have had you busted back down to buck Private for disobeying a direct order; just call me Lind already".

"But what's the fun in that?" Peorth asked with a giggle. "Besides, if I were a Valkyrie, I wouldn't be allowed to dress like I do". She had a point. While Lind had relaxed some of the rules that governed the Valkyrie corps, such as the need for absolute celibacy and an uncompromising dress code, any Valkyrie that came to work dressed like that would be court-martialled on the spot; black latex panties, a "Guns and Roses" shirt, boots and her standard leather cross-belts, from which a pair of heavy pistols hung, ornately decorated in a pearl and ebony relief of white roses. It wasn't exactly the sort of thing a Valkyrie would wear. Then again, Peorth was now the number two in Heaven, second only to Lind in terms of power and influence and head of all Yggdrasil operations, so she could wear pretty much whatever she damn well liked. Not wanting to start an argument, Lind simply shook her head and smiled.

"So, what's on the agenda for today?" Peorth paused and picked up her data-slate, a sheet of liquid crystal, upon which various sets of runes were laid out. She pulled a pair of glasses from her cleavage and Lind rolled her eyes, knowing that she wore them just for effect while Peorth flicked through various pages, surreptitiously looking over the top of them, until she came to the right page.

"Ok then… Lind's agenda for today. You have a morning meeting with the Earth spirit delegation, they want to talk to you about helping to start a rewilding project somewhere on Earth. Later, you have an official visit from the Ambassador from the European Federation, a lunch meeting with the Vanaheimr security council… oh and Osiris wants a word with you again". Lind scowled at this last one. Osiris and his cronies, the Osiruns were a group of deities which insisted on wearing helmets which resembled the heads of animals and had been strongly against Lind's revelation of Heaven to the world. They had been defeated by vote but had been strong political opponents ever since, often attempting to disrupt whatever she was doing through the Heavenly Council. While they were almost always defeated, it slowed things down and made it difficult for Lind to get things done in a hurry. Their latest proposal was their most ridiculous yet; since Jago and the Guardians were acting as the world's police and defence force, they argued that there was no longer any need for the Valkyries and wanted them disbanded, much as the Praetorians had been, thirty years earlier. It was extremely unlikely that it would ever come to pass but it was an irritation, especially when they insisted on trying to bring her round to her side.

"Anything else?" she asked distastefully.

"Well there is one thing…" Peorth said, smirking a little. "I believe that Jago is supposed to visit today". Lind felt a schism of excitement at this before she managed to pull herself back together. Under the orders of the High Council, the governing body composed of the representatives and rulers from every race, Lind and Jago had been forced to separate, as Jago's job demanded that he remained neutral in respects to Heaven and Hell, even though they were married. Therefore, it was decided that Jago could only visit once every week at the most and while he did occasionally manage to sneak in under the radar, his official visits were always a pleasure, sure to brighten up Lind's day. "So where will hehave you today?" Peorth asked, giving Lind a saucy smile. "Will it be in the bathroom… or maybe across the desk? I know that's one of your favourites. I just hope you remembered your best underwear". At this, Lind blushed. It was no secret that whenever they were together, she and Jago made love like crazed weasels but it always irked her that Peorth was watching them together. Oh, she knew that Peorth had a camera SOMEWHERE in her office but she had yet to locate the blasted thing, so as embarrassing as it was, she had to put up with it. However, she trusted her friend and Peorth swore that she never allowed anyone else to see what went on once the doors were closed and as a First Class goddess, Peorth wasn't allowed to lie…

"Well, we'll just have to wait and see" Lind said, blushing as a couple of the nearby admins tittered at their Almighty One's embarrassment. Peorth chuckled and nodded.

"Yes, I guess I will" she said and Lind turned, departing for her office. As she approached, the pair of Valkyries outside the door stood to attention, earning themselves a nod of approval before Lind entered the room, shutting the door behind herself. And she sighed, leaning heavily against the heavy wood. Being the Almighty One was tough, but someone had to do the job. She stood and looked around her office, admiring her surroundings. Gone was her father's pokey study, lined from wall to wall with book shelves, with stuffed animals, maps and charts covering every surface. This was a Valkyrie's office. A single large bookcase was against one wall, surrounded by filing cabinets. The other wall had a map of the nine realms, showing their connections between them, with named and numbered Gates and the best routes between them. Beside it was mannequin on which her worn and battle-scarred Valkyrie uniform now hung, with her halberd stood beside it. She a deep feeling of nostalgia as she approached it, slipping out of her riding leathers and hanging them from a rack. She was now in her favourite civilian uniform; a pale blue business suit consisting of a knee length skirt, a black leather belt with her favourite seax knife hung from it, a blazer, white shirt, tights and blue high heels. It had taken her ten years but she had finally mastered the art of walking in the blasted things and she was loath to give them up now. But as she crossed the room, she paused beside her old uniform and she slowly closed her eyes, thinking back on her times as a Valkyrie. The roar of battle, the scent of burning, the weight as she swung her weapon in a deadly arch, to cleave her foes in two. Slowly, her hand reached out and she grasped her halberd from its rail and without opening her eyes, she started to move through a series of combat positions, gradually building up in speed until she became a whirling hurricane of blue silk and shining metal. Yes… she could see herself now. She was a Valkyrie again; unstoppable, untameable, an angel of destruction for those forces that sort to- She forgot she was wearing heels and with a shout, she lost her balance and went sprawling, embedding the head of her halberd in the wall, as her PA system crackled into life.

"_Excuse me Lind but your first appointment has arrived"._ Lind pulled herself back up, straightening her cloths and tugged her halberd from the wall, feeling as if she had just been caught in the middle of some illicit activity and she hurriedly stowed it before crossing to her desk, pressing the reply button.

"Thank you Peorth. Send them in". With that, she took a seat, sighing deeply. She had kept her father's desk on Jago's insistence; a thousand years old, it was solid oak with a worn green leather cover and big brass handles. On it were her personal computer, a small glass fish bowl with an enormous green and gold Siamese fighting fish and her father's war-hammer, Mjolnir, the weapon of the Almighty One since Thor's time. The only decoration was a simple photograph in a frame… herself with her angels, with Jago and his, their daughter and their new-born son. The photo had been taken more than twenty years ago but it still brought a smile to her face as she remembered that day. But then the door opened and she straightened herself in her leather office chair, her smile fading as her first appointment of the day entered. It was time to go to work.

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Jeiko shook his head as he rubbed his chin with one hand, carefully considering his next move.

"It doesn't matter what you do" Bifrost said. "I'll beat you in three moves". Jeiko ignored her and gently picked up one of the knights, moving it across the board and then setting it down, taking one of Bifrost's rooks.

"Checkmate" he said with a smile and Bifrost looked stunned.

"What? How did you do that? No-one has ever beaten me at Heavenly chess before!" (*1) Jeiko just grinned and leaned back in his chair, folding his arms smugly.

"Well I guess I'm just a better chess player than Heimdall was". Bifrost glared at him and then looked down at the chess board.

"I demand a rematch!" she said, folding her robe-arms across her chest, making Jeiko grin.

"You want me to beat you again? No problem! Let's set it up!" At that moment, Jago entered the room.

"Hey you two. Haven't killed each other yet I see". The pair grinned as he entered.

"Not yet" Jeiko said. "Good to see you my friend. Off to see Lind?"

"Not yet, you know the drill. Business before pleasure; all that crap". Jeiko nodded and reached inside his robe, pulling a small device from within.

"Netherworld Gate then?" Jago nodded and Jeiko tossed it across the room, only for it to start growing and expanding as it flew, eventually materialising into another Gate, identical in every way to Bifrost, from her snow white hair, to her robe-arms, to her diminutive size.

"What's going on?" she asked sleepily. "I was napping".

"Sorry to wake you Netherworld" Jeiko said, bowing his head respectfully, "but Lord Finch needs to pass through you so that he can get to Hell". The Netherworld Gate and unslung the key from her back, handing it to him.

"Alright, here you go. Let's get this over with; I wanna get back to sleep". Jeiko nodded and took the key from her and gently inserted it into her chest. The Gate gave a little gasp of pleasure and then expanded into a glowing red portal; her true form and the entrance to Hell. Jago tipped his hat to Bifrost and then approached Netherworld, only for Jeiko to call out to him.

"Hey! Say hi to my wife for me!"

"Which one?" Jago asked, half serious and then stepped through and into Hell. Or rather, an average looking set of suburbs. To be honest though, there wasn't really a great deal of difference.

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Hild hummed softly to herself as she pottered slowly across the garden, carrying a bucket in one hand and a trowel in the other. And then she paused, bending to inspect her tomatoes.

"Hmm" she said, leaning close to the plant and inspecting it with a careful eye. "Aphids" she muttered with disgust, glaring at the tiny sap-suckers and she set down her bucket and trowel, pulling off her gloves. Following her retirement, Hild had become a keen gardener, turning her talents for destruction and mayhem into tools that ensured that her garden grew more beautifully and luxuriantly than even those of Heaven. Every plant was well trimmed and looked after and grew like the blazes, as she put the fear of god into them. Or rather, the fear of the devil. It was simple really. Every week, she would take a stroll through the garden and pick out one plant that was just a little scraggly or scrawny or was suffering from blight and she would draw a chalk circle around it. The next morning, it would be gone. Nobody knew how or where it went, there would just be a very obvious hole left where it had once been. And so, every plant in the garden grew, for fear of what might happen if they fell behind. Hild leaned forward once more, inspecting the aphid infested tomato plant once more and snapped her fingers once, instantly killing all of the bugs, causing them to fall from the step. "You've earned a reprieve this week" she said to the plant. "But if I catch you slacking, you know what will happen". If it was possible for a tomato plant to look scared, this would be shitting itself. With that, the former Daimankaichō stood once more and collected her gardening tools, going back about her business.

"Morning Hild!" She turned and smiled as Jago leaned against her fence.

"Good morning dearie!" she said, waving to him, pulling back her straw hat. "Off to see Urdie?" Jago nodded.

"Aye, that I am. Just thought I would drop by and see how you were doing. How's that new breed of Venus man-trap coming along?" Hild smiled.

"She's coming along fine! I'll introduce you to her next time you come by if you like". Jago grinned.

"Alright. I've heard of women being man-eaters but I've never actually met a literal one so it'll be a new experience for me". Hild chuckled and grinned.

"Good to hear" she said. "Well how's that little girl of yours then? Not so little now I hear".

"Aye. She qualified for the Valkyries last year. They grow up fast don't they?" Hild nodded.

"Oh that they do! It took long enough for me to become a grandmother and before I know it, I might be a great!" She smiled and Jago returned it. "Anyway, you'd better be off. Don't want to keep Urdie waiting!" Jago nodded and waved goodbye to the former ruler of Hell. He now had someone else to meet; one of the current rulers of Hell.

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The last thirty years had not been kind to poor Urd. Oh, she was still as young and beautiful as ever but you could tell, some of her pep and spark had gone, along with some of her playfulness. There were bags under hers eyes and while she still smiled when Jago came in, it was clear that the smile was strained. A lot of it had been to do with her marriage. When Lord Jeiko Sukaru had originally proposed to her, she had been ecstatic. She had loved the man and he loved her too and together, they had hoped to have a long and happy relationship. However, there were one or two things which they had failed to account for. Most particularly, there was public opinion, for you see, Jeiko was already married. He was married to Peorth. Peorth had asked him originally and he had accepted but this had put a strain on Peorth's relationship with Urd, as shortly after the end of the Kronos war, they had both fallen for the man. However, they had discovered that they were happy to share and as Earth spirits were naturally polygamist anyway, Jeiko had proposed on Peorth's instance. This was taken with reserved pleasure in most of Heaven for while infidelity was strongly frowned upon, polygamy was common practice, especially as goddesses outnumbered gods by as many as ten too one. As such, they had received the blessing of both Tyr, as father of the bride and of Lind as Urd's sister and the current Almighty One and so, they had made their announcement to the world. It had been a complete disaster. While in Heaven, polygamy was seen as nothing exceptional, in Hell, it was strongly frowned upon and especially since not only was Urd planning to marry an Earth spirit but she was willing to become the second wife, disgracing herself as the ruler of Hell. Protests had been held. Parts of the Niflguard had mutinied. Several members of the Hell Council had wanted Urd removed either by a public vote or by a military coup, only to be shut down by Hagall, who while disgusted by Urd's actions, had been unwilling to take over the full management of Hell on her own. In the end, the High Council had been convened and they had attempted to have Urd forcefully removed from office, so drastic had the political backlash been. It was only Jago's last minute promise to resign, with the guarantee that he would be dead within three days, that finally convinced them to let Urd stay, provided she, Jeiko and Peorth all managed to pass through the Judgment Gate together. They had successfully passed the test and so the wedding bells had rung, with peace retuning. However, Urd was now deeply unpopular in her own realm and it would not take much for the last of her support to be overcome and for her to be forced to resign. However, until that time, she was still one of the co-rulers of Hell and wielded as much power as Lind or Hagall and while she may not have had much support these days, she was still as sharp as a razor and knew exactly how to use what little she had to her advantage. Still, it was good to see Jago. They were in-laws via Lind and counted each other as friends, especially since Urd was the god mother for both of Jago's children.

"Hello Jago" she said, smiling weakly. "How are things?" Jago shrugged. Urd was one of the few people he fully trusted. He told her things that not even Lind knew.

"As they always are; up shit creek without a paddle. Half the world still wants you guys to fuck off, half want wishes they either can't have or don't deserve and all the while, we're fighting a never ending stream of nasties who keep leaking through from Ginnungagap". Urd shuddered at the mention of that horrifyingly warped prison world, the place where all of the most horrifying creatures and beings in all of creation were to be kept until the end of time.

"So, business as usual?" she asked and Jago nodded.

"Of course" he said. "How about yourself? How are things going down here?" Urd shrugged.

"Still the same. The demons hate me because of who and how I married, because I'm not a full demon, because the sky is blue and because octopus have eight legs…" She sighed. "I'm just about the most hated Daimankaichō in all of the history of Hell. Pretty much the only people who still support me are my mother, Mara and Hagall… and Hagall only does it because she doesn't really have a great deal of choice". She stopped and looked Jago in the eye. "I'm not sure how much more of this I can take. I'm not cut out to be a demon, never mind the Daimankaichō. And it doesn't help that I kept my goddess's personality when I changed sides. It makes things REALLY difficult when I'm trying to stop Hagall from doing something stupid against Heaven". She paused and shook her head.

"Don't worry; I'm pretty sure that Lind feels the same way that you do". Urd looked at him critically.

"No offence Jago but Lind was never very well liked, even before she became the Almighty One and told the world that we existed. And she doesn't have to worry about almost being replaced every time that she tries to influence a decision". Jago shrugged.

"I hear that Osiris tries". Urd snorted and then looked Jago straight in the eye.

"Ok, now there's one thing I need you to tell me; how are YOU Jago?" Jago smiled.

"Me? I'm fine! I-"

"Don't lie" Urd said. "You said you were fine when you almost had your heart cut out by Gandamak's tail. Now tell me the truth; how are you? Did you get that cough seen to?" And for the first time that day, Jago's face fell.

"Yeah, I got it looked at".

"And?" So Jago told her. The situation wasn't good. Urd gave him a sad smile. "So we're both fucked, huh?"

"Yep".

"How long do you have? Roughly speaking?" Jago shrugged.

"Probably not long enough to bother renewing my National Geographic subscription" he said. "It's kinda ironic isn't it? I spend thirty years fighting monsters and I'm killed by as stupid decision from about the same time". Urd nodded sadly.

"I'm sorry Jago" she said.

"Don't be; I'm fifty now. If I were any normal human, I would be looking at retirement in the next ten years. Besides, you know what they say. Better to burn out that fade away". Urd nodded and then there was a knock at the door.

"Come in". The door cracked open and a demon stuck her head around the frame.

"If you would please Marm, your son is here to see you". And this time Urd smiled properly.  
"I'll be right there" she said and turned to Jago, coking her head in a silent question.

"Bring him in" Jago said. "It would be nice to see my favourite nephew again".

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Urd left the room for a few moments and then returned, a small figure peeking out from behind her skirts.

"Come on Jarrett, come on out and say hello to your uncle" she said tenderly. The little boy shook his head nervously and retreated further behind his mother's skirt, shaking his head as Jago chuckled softly.

"Shy isn't he?" Jago said and Urd smiled.

"Come on, it's Uncle Jago. He won't bite". Jarrett slowly stepped out from behind his mother's skirt, eyeing his uncle nervously, still holding Urd's hand in his own. Jago smiled at his little nephew and crouched down to get a good look at him. He had a mix of his mother's and father's features; Jeiko's dark hair and Urd's bronze skin. He wore a tiny black and copper robe of a young demon but he had his father's seal on the shoulder. And while he had a demon's mark on his forehead, in the shape of a tiny red pentagram, he had his father's deep green eyes, which were open wide in fear and amazement in the way of two year olds everywhere.

"Hello Little Man" Jago said. "Have you been behaving yourself?" The little boy nodded nervously. He had grown up hearing stories of the battles which his father and Jago had fought and held the pair of them in awe, which probably explained his shyness. "Have you been practicing your magic like I taught you?" The little boy smiled, flashing a pair of short fangs as he raised one hand and it glowed slightly. A tiny sphere of water appeared there and slowly worked itself into the shape of a rose blossom and then with a flash of light, it froze solid, leaving a perfectly sculpted bloom in the boy's hand. "Bloody Hell…" Jago said softly. "You're two years old and you're already a better caster than Skuld".

"I've been practicing" the boy said with a shy smile.

"I can see that" Jago said and then ruffled his nephew's hair. "You keep it up, you hear?" The little boy nodded as Jago stood and smiled at Urd. "I'd better keep my eye on this one. He's gonna be a mighty little fighter when he's older". But Urd frowned and he thought back over what he had just said. "Well… if I'm still around then".

"I'm sorry Jago" Urd said. "I wish there was something that I could do but…"

"Don't worry. Your mum couldn't fix me and it's not likely that anyone else can either. Besides, I've done my duty now. It's about time that someone else takes the reigns". He paused and grinned. "Don't worry, this old truck's got a few miles left". And Urd grinned.

"Just don't you do anything stupid" she said.

"Haven't you learned by now? I'm always doing something stupid!" But then an alarm beamed on his watch and he glanced down. "Damn" he said. "Sorry Urd, I've gotta go". The Daimankaichō nodded.

"I understand; Lind's calling".

"You got it" Jago said. "I'll be back soon, alright? Until then", he said, turning to Jarrett, "you keep practicing, ok?" The little boy nodded as Jago turned to leave but the bog man paused, just short of the door, looking back over his shoulder. "Oh and Urd, remember; Nil Illegitimus Carborundum". Urd nodded and smiled.

"Don't worry, these bastards won't grind me down". With that, Jago left, heading off towards his final visit of the day. It was only after he was gone that little Jarrett tugged at his mother's skirt once more, this time wanting to ask her something.

"Mummy, is Uncle Jago ok?" he asked and Urd tried to smile but failed so she simply shook her head.

"No, he's not" she said sadly. "But you mustn't tell anyone. ESPECIALLY not your Aunt Lind". Jarrett nodded sagely, understanding the meaning in his mother's words. He would not reveal the secret that only himself and his mother knew. The secret that only they had been entrusted with. The secret that Jago Finch, mightiest and longest lasting of Paladins, was dying.

*1 Heavenly chess is similar to regular Earth chess except that it involves twice as many pieces, representing goddesses and their angels. Whenever a piece is taken, another one of the same kind may also be removed, representing the death of both (e.g. if you take a knight, you may then remove any other knight on your opponent's side as well).


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 3**

**The Paladin's Children**

High in the control rooms of Yggdrasil, the younger of Jago and Lind's children worked diligently, tapping away at his celestial loom, working on upgrading the energy transfer system. Normally, it would take a full system admin to do a job like this but as the son of both the Paladin and the Almighty One, not to mention being the host for one of the most powerful Engineer Archs the world had ever seen, it was safe to say that he didn't need a great deal of help. To look at him, you wouldn't think that he was the younger brother; he looked almost twenty, with his mother's blue hair and the same set of blue facial markings. He was very thin, almost like a bean-pole and his robes were the male equivalent of Belldandy's; all white, blue and yellow silk, although with a pair of practical white trousers and heavy boots. He wore a thick set of glasses which he would occasionally give a nudge, as they had a habit of slipping down his nose if he wasn't paying attention. And he never smiled. His face was almost constantly neutral, as he didn't like to show too much emotion. With good reason…

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The birth of their second child had been difficult for Lind. In fact, it had nearly killed her. She had been carrying a pair of boy twins, with both of them coming to full term, unlike her first pregnancy, which would have killed one baby before it was born. However, something went wrong with this second birth. The first one had been fine, he had been born cleanly and they had named him Hervar. The second baby however, had become stuck and with Lind in too much pain to make any rational decision, it had fallen to Jago to make the decision. Normal procedures wouldn't have been effective they, would have to use magic. There had been two options; the first had a fifty per cent chance of killing both mother and baby, while the second had an eighty per cent chance of Lind surviving… but had a ninety per cent chance of killing the other baby. Jago had taken the second option. Lind had been saved. Their other son had not.

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Hervar sighed as he finished tapping at the loom, flicking the data from his screen, onto a data slate and then over to Peorth for a final inspection.

"Ok, it's done" he said. Peorth picked up her data slate and inspected it, carefully checking the screen. She smiled.

"Good work" she said. "You've successfully boosted the energy transfer system by almost two-hundred per cent. I have to say, I'm impressed". Hervar bowed his head in thanks and then paused as a bench just over from his flashed and the goddess twins, Eir and Saga suddenly appeared.

"Alright!" said Saga, flashing a thumbs up.

"Yet another successful job for the best wish granters at the Goddess Relief Office!" Hervar nodded a little.

"Nice work you two" he said. "At this rate, you'll be beating Belldandy's record in no time". The twins beamed and then returned to their desk to await their next call. However, just as they were sitting down, an alarm began to blare.

"Intrusion" Hervar said tapping rapidly at his screen.

"Is it Joe again?" Peorth asked, looking concerned but he shook his head.

"No, it isn't a computer hack. This is an unidentified flyer. A fast mover". Peorth nodded and slammed a hand down on the emergency alarm.

"Peorth to Valkyrie Air Wardens, we have unidentified fast mover in Heavenly airspace. Orders as to vector onto the target and intercept. Be prepared to engage if necessary".

"Roger that" one of the Wardens said and a large screen materialised in the middle of the room, showing the direct link to one of the Valkyrie's helmet-cams. The picture shifted slightly as the Valkyrie banked hard left, vectoring onto the unidentified target and then blurred slightly as she accelerated to Mach 2, punching through the sound barrier. She and half a dozen others were now closing rapidly on the target; a large black shape that quickly materialised into the shape of a large aircraft. An Sr-71… no, a YF-12.

"Oh crap" Hervar said and looked up Peorth. "Peorth, could you patch me through to Wardens?" Peorth nodded and Hervar then picked up a speaker. "DAD! GET OUT OF THE SKY! YOU'RE UPSETTING THE VALKYRIES!"

"Awww, how'd you know it was me?" came Jago's voice over the speakers making his son shake his head in shame.

"Nobody else is stupid enough to fly into Heaven in a Cold War interceptor prototype".

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Jago grinned as he looked back over his shoulder at the Valkyries as they struggled to keep up with his powerful Blackbird interceptor.

"Alright girls?" he called out to them over the radio. It was their game. He would roll in in the YF-12 and they would try and catch him.

"For crying out loud Paladin!" one of the Valkyries called back. "Don't you have anything better to do than winding us up?"

"Well that depends" Jago said, grasping the throttle of the big jet. "If you can catch me, then maybe you can try a new game". With that, he slid the throttle all the way forward, dumping raw fuel into his jet's ram-jet engines, instantly boosting it from Mach 2, to over Mach 3.5. The Valkyries accelerated too but there was no way they could keep up, maxing out at around Mach 3.1. While they could go faster, it would mean having to either losing the stabilisation on their humanoid bodies and having to revert to their true forms or they would have to boost up to superluminal speeds and then overtake him that way. This was the reason that most goddesses used brooms; it gave them something to focus on at high speeds and prevented them from destabilizing. But Valkyries didn't use brooms and so they were simply left sucking fumes as the Blackbird accelerated away. It was then that Jago received a call over his radio.

"DAD! GET OUT OF THE SKY! YOU'RE UPSETTING THE VALKYRIES!"

"Awww, how'd you know it was me?" Jago asked, his face curling into a grin.

"Nobody else is stupid enough to fly into Heaven in a Cold War interceptor prototype".

"You got me there" Jago said. "But I have no intention of landing just yet. It's fun teasing the Air Wardens". It was as that moment that he spotted something outside his jet and he half-turned to see the ominous shape of a Tempest fighter flying just off his wing. The Eurofighter Tempest was the most advanced aircraft the world had ever seen; a combination of human and Heavenly technology, it made the previous generation of jets such as the F-22C Super Raptor look like a toy. It resembled a stealthy version of the old Typhoon fighter but much sleeker, almost frictionless and packed a considerable punch, able to carry a full array of air-to-air, air-to-ground and electronic warfare weapons, as well as a powerful THEL (*1) weapon, mounted underneath the fuselage. Piloted by Heaven's Human Auxiliary Air Force, it was faster than Jago's Blackbird and so manoeuvrable that it could turn three-hundred and sixty degrees within its own radius. Jago chuckled to himself, even as the aircraft trained its THEL on him, while three more of them came inbound, all preparing to engage him if needed. "Alright, you got me" he said. "Where do you want me to land?"

"You know the drill; just follow the jets to the airfield". Jago chuckled and clicked his radio off as one of the fighters pulled ahead of him and as a flight of five, they turned and headed towards Heaven's new airbase.

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"Reel cool Dad" Hervar said as Jago entered the control room, escorted by a pair of Valkyries. "Why do you insist on teasing the Air Wardens? It's not funny you know?" Jago couldn't help but grin.

"Oh, come on! It's just a bit of fun and it keeps them on their toes. Besides, you don't mind do you girls?" Neither of the Valkyries answered, just gave disgruntled looks. Hervar sighed.

"Alright, you two can go. I'll take it from here". The two Valkyries nodded and departed, leaving Jago in his son's care.

"I like the last lot of Valkyries" Jago said, "but these girls are a right lot of sour-pusses".

"What do you expect? With Mum introducing five year conscription to all goddesses with the exception of Archs and with the expansion of the units, many of them aren't very happy". This had been one of Lind's more controversial moves. During the Kronos war, her Valkyries had fought mightily but had suffered many casualties and while the Auxiliaries (the part time soldiers, goddesses who held a Valkyrie licence but mainly did other work) and the Specials (militia) had done their best, they had barely been able to hold the line. As such, Lind had determined that she should increase the permanent size of the Valkyries from seven to ten cohorts, of a thousand warriors each and she had also instituted a system of conscription which mean that every goddess of Second Class or higher must serve at least five years in the military before they could a permanent position within one of the other departments. Her logic had been simple; she was ensuring that they always had a steady supply of soldiers and it also meant that in the event of another invasion, she could be sure that all of the troops had at least SOME military experience. However, it hadn't worked out well, the scheme proving deeply unpopular both with the civilians, who were being forced into military service and with the full time soldiers, who saw the conscripts as little better than toy soldiers. Jago shook his head and sighed.

"Ah well, I suppose I can't complain. Speaking of planes, I have to say, I like the job you and Skuld did on those new Eurofighters. Those things are real nasty. What's the top speed on something like that?"

"Mach 6 plus" Hervar said, looking smug. "They're the best jets we've ever made. Not even those F/A 41s the Americans are using now can match them". Jago nodded. He remembered the last time he had encountered an F/A 41 Phoenix in battle; during the evacuation from Heaven, he had been forced to pilot a Chinook out of the city and the human military, under the authorisation of Lind's mother, Lady Valmeyar, had deployed a neutron bomb via one of these aircraft. Very little was known about them but they were known that the aircraft were tailless, instead using 3D thrust vectoring to steer themselves and it was also known that they were equipped with a full active camouflage suite that allowed them to fade to complete invisibility. As such and with almost nothing to go on, the new Tempest fighters had been built specifically with the intention of being able to tear these new jets apart, no matter what kind of performance they had.

"It looks like I'm gonna need to add one to my Christmas list" Jago said. "They make my Blackbird look like an antique".

"That was kinda the idea" Hervar said. "So, you here to see Mum?"

"Just like always" Jago said. "How's your mother doing anyway?"

"She's stressed. Osiris is still ragging at her". Jago frowned.

"That ass-bag? Ugh!" Hervar nodded and shrugged.

"What can I say? He's like you said; an ass-bag". The pair shared a look and then Jago grinned.

"Ah well, what can we do… and that reminds me, have you made any moves on that girl of yours yet?" Hervar looked petrified.

"Me? Talk to a woman? How? What would I say? I-"

"You could always show her that trick of yours" Jago said. Hervar shook his head.

"It's not my trick, it's Peppermint's". At that moment, the his angel appeared behind him, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning on him. She looked suspiciously like Lind's angels except her eyes were green, with a pair of dark rimmed glasses and whereas their hair stuck out to the sides, hers went straight up. Apart from that however, you would be hard pressed to tell them apart and with her name too, it was clear she was related to at least one of the Mint Sisters.

"Oh come on Master" Peppermint said softly. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"She could laugh in my face?" Peppermint sighed and glanced across at Jago.

"You see what I have to put up with?" she said, looking for sympathy. "He's hopeless!"

"Don't look at me" Jago said to the young Arch. "He may be my son but he's YOUR Master".

"True…" she said and then reached over to Hervar's desk, picking up a trio of Rubix cubes. "Besides, who could resist someone who could do this?" She started juggling them, tossing them high into the air and catching them expertly, clicking them round as she went. Within a minute, she caught all three of them and held them up, revealing that she had solved the lot, all whilst juggling them. "Ta-da!" she said, grinning cheerfully and Jago couldn't help but laugh.

"I love that! How the Hell do you do that?" Peppermint shrugged.

"It's all maths and numbers. It's what I'm good at".

"And here's me who can't even solve one Rubix cube when it's stationary" Jago said. "Well I guess that's just the luck of the draw then". Peppermint nodded and smiled as Jago glanced at his watch. "Right, I'm just gonna speak to Peorth and then I'll be off to see your mother, alright?" Peppermint nodded and disappeared back inside her Master while Hervar simply shrugged.

"I'll give my love to Temmy, alright?" he said and Jago shrugged.

"Yeah, that sounds like a plan" Jago said. "You know what she's like…."

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Out on the Valkyrie training fields, the young Trainee spun her halberd around her fist and caught it as she faced her opponent; a grizzled old Sergeant, many years her senior.

"Ready?" she asked, to which the Sergeant simply shrugged, gripping her battle-axe in both hands. With that, the Trainee charged, shrieking and slicing with her halberd, almost catching her opponent in the stomach. The Sergeant blocked the attack with the haft of her axe and heaved the younger Valkyrie off of herself, grunting with the effort. She then reached under one of her uniform's shoulder-wings and pulled forth a short billhook, hacking at her enemy with a weapon in each hand. The younger Valkyrie blocked her attacks with ease, rapidly spinning her halberd to deflect her enemies assault and then jabbing forward with both hands, narrowly missing the Sergeant's ribs with her top-spike. The she back-swung her weapon, striking the older Valkyrie in the ribs and lifting her off her feet and onto her back, slamming her into the ground. Before her opponent could react, the Trainee leapt onto her enemies chest, straddling her with her halberd in one hand and a heavy khukuri in her other, pressed against her enemies throat. "I win" she said calmly and then stood, turning to face her next opponent. "Next".

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Peorth chuckled as Jago approached her desk in the highest levels of the Yggdrasil control room.

"You overslept again, didn't you?" she said and Jago grinned sheepishly.

"Yeah, kinda" he said. "Then again, what can I do? I have a hard job".

"That you do" Peorth said. "I guess the fact that you get to be with Lind is somewhat of a reward though". And then she gave a cheeky wink. "Then again, if you ever get tired of Valkyrie, the goddess of love is always available". Jago gave a chuckle.

"Oh, hark at Rosie Palm here" he said. "I know you have five daughters now but you have to be literal about it. Besides, you're married!"

"So what?" Peorth said innocently. "I'm a natural polygamist. In fact most of Heaven are. It's you and Lind who are the strange ones. Who would ever be satisfied with one partner for all of eternity?"

"Me" Jago said. "I'm happy with Lind as it is. Well, I wish I could see her a bit more often but I guess that's just part of life". He paused and shook his head. "I think Weth's still sweet on me though. What the Hell am I gonna do?"

"How should I know? You said so yourself; you're monogamous. If you wanted my help, you should have said yes to my offer". The pair laughed, as only good friends could. They'd known each other for years now and had become good friends after Jago had saved Gorgeous Rose from the Angel-Eater, after it had been released for the second time and had parasitized Peorth. She had owed him a debt since then but Jago had accepted a friendship instead and so the pair would spar during his visits to Heaven, knowing that they would never go any further. However, today their fun was interrupted by an alarm and a symbol flashed up on the screen once more.

"What's up?" Jago asked as he leaned close to Peorth's monitor while she ground her teeth and snarled.

"Dammit! It's Pope Joe again!" Pope Joe was a collective of Catholic priests and hackers who were strongly opposed to the goddesses work on Earth, believing that they were simply pretender gods, rather than the real thing, despite the public support for Heaven from the Catholic Church and the real Pope as a whole. As such, they were constantly hacking the Yggdrasil system, stealing data and using it to either blackmail certain members of Heaven or to interfere with wish granting trips.

"I've got their signal isolated!" Ex, one of the admins called out.

"They're heading for the defence core!" Ere said tapping at her own keyboard but then Hervar called out to them.

"Wait! It's a trick! That's a zombie code! They're heading for the wish-list!" Instantly, the two admins switched target and concentrated the might of the most powerful supercomputer in existence into shutting down the hack. They were too late. By the time they had the emergency system set up and the critical components fire-walled, Pope Joe had successfully copied and made off with a fat chunk of data. Peorth side as she slid back into her chair, rubbing her forehead.

"Fucking Humanists" she said. "So what if we're not "their religion"? All we're trying to do is help people. So," she said to the admins, "what did they get?"

"Usual stuff" Ex said. "They made a copy of most of the wish-list and tried to plant a virus in our system again. Usual crappy job; the anti-virus killed it in ten seconds flat but… well…"

"I get it" Peorth said. "Can't you do anything about these dudes?" she asked, turning to Jago who just shrugged.

"Not a thing unless I can find out who they are and where they operate from. Find that out and I can stomp their operation flat".

"If we knew that, we'd have the Valkyries down there in seconds; these fuckers are driving us insane!" But then Peorth paused and glanced down at her data slate, flicking through to her security feed. "Ah, I see Lind's done with Osiris" she said. "Give her my love". Jago grinned and nodded.

"Alright, see you later Peorth… and don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

"What wouldn't you do?"

"Exactly!"

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"Thank you Lady Almighty One" Osiris said, bowing his head so that his bird's head helmet almost touched the desk, thumping his left shoulder with his right fist as a sign of respect, before turning and exiting, accompanied by his two companions; Sobek, the crocodile god of guardianship and Bast, the cat headed goddess of war. Only when he and his companions were safely out of earshot of both Lind and the Valkyries at her door did they finally speak. "That patronizing slut!" the hawk god snarled. "We'll bring her down if it's the last thing we do!"

"Patience Osiris" Sobek said, the jaws of his crocodile helmet snapping. "All we have to do is wait. She'll cock up eventually and when she does, we'll have her by the balls… so to speak".

"Is that so?" The three of them turned suddenly to see Jago approaching from the other end of the corridor and they all bowed in respect.

"Lord Paladin, we didn't see you there".

"No, I bet you didn't" Jago said. "I hope I didn't hear you ripping on my wife at all".

"Oh no! Of course not!" Osiris said as Jago stepped up to him, leaning close so that the god could see his face.

"Good, because you know what happens to people who insult Lind within my hearing". He let his eyes flash red for a second and Osiris paled beneath his mask.

"Of course my Lord! I would never insult her my Lord! We have only the greatest of respect for both yourself and the Almighty One!"

"Good" Jago said simply. "Now if you excuse me, my wife is waiting for me". The trio held their breath until Jago was safely around the corner and then collectively exhaled.

"That guy gives me the creeps!" Bast said. "Not to mention the fact that he could be a problem if we try to push things". But Osiris shook his head.

"Don't worry about the Paladin. He may be strong but his power won't count for much in the political realm. Remember; he can't interfere directly in the affairs of Heaven, so long as they don't directly affect the Earth or Hell. So, so long as we're careful, he won't be too much of a problem".

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"Enter" Lind said testily as she heard the knock at the door. She was nursing one scorcher of a headache since her meeting with Osiris and was in little mood for idle chat. However, that all changed when she saw who it was. Jago. She gave a smug little grin.

"You're late" she said.

"I was busy. You know the protocol; leave the best for last". Lind chuckled as he folded into a chair, smiling at her.

"Can I get you anything? Tea? Coffee? Potassium cyanide? "

"A couple of mugs of that last one wouldn't go astray" Jago said. "So, what did Osiris want? I met that ass-bag coming the other way, just as I was coming in". Lind frowned and shook her head.

"Usual stuff. He's still trying to convince me that we should disband the Valkyries and replace them with an army of Urabi". The Urabi were a new class of Golems, crated by Osiris himself and designed to be unhackable. However, after their experience with the Golem known as Juggernaut, both Lind and Jago were firmly against the idea. And Lind gave Jago a desperate look. "I'm losing my mind in this job Jago" she said and she pulled open a draw in her desk, removing a small red orb. "I'm not cut out for this job. I'm a soldier, not a politician". She gave the orb a squeeze, using it to help vent her frustration.

"Come on, it can't all be bad" Jago said.

"Oh yeah? I haven't had a moment's peace since you were last here! In fact, I look forward to your visits just so that I can a few hours to unwind, with nobody being allowed to disturb me". She squeezed the orb again, grunting. "I mean, I used to be the nastiest mother-fucker in the world! Lind, right arm of the Almighty One, the Angel of Death! But now? Now I can't even go down to the training fields to practice anymore!"

"Why not?"

"Isn't it obvious? Nobody would fight me! How would it look if the Almighty One were defeated in single combat by a low ranking Valkyrie, huh? And it would be dishonourable to fight with the intention of losing. You see my problem?" Jago nodded. He knew better than to speak. Lind used these sessions to vent, so it was best just to let he get on with it. "Now, if I had even one decent opponent then it would be fine, but nooooo! All I have… is… a damn… STRESS BALL!" With that, she hurled the rubber sphere across the room, only for it ricochet of the wall and start bouncing crazily around the room. She made several ineffective attempts to catch it and had to wait until it finally came to a rest, bobbing in her fish bowl. "You see? I've lost my edge! I can't even catch a damn ball anymore, never mind lead an army into battle!" She leaned back in her chair, rubbing her temples and then sighed with exasperation before leaning back again and giving Jago a bright smile. "Right, rant over. So, how are you?" Jago grinned.

"I'm good. Could be better. Always another damn crisis to solve, always another damn monster to drag, kicking and screaming back into Ginnungagap". Lind shrugged.

"Well what can you do? You are the Paladin after all. It's your job to keep the world from going to shit". With that, she paused and then she wrinkled her brow. "Which reminds me; there has been a rather disturbing development. Has Peorth told you about the attack on the twins yet?" Jago shook his head.

"No, I haven't heard a thing". Lind nodded and turned to her computer as Jago tried to scoop her stress ball out of her fish bowl.

"Don't touch my fish" she said, not bothering to look at Jago as he withdrew his hand and sat back. "Here" Lind said finally. "Take a look. This was Yggdrasil security footage, taken from a wish the twins went to grant a week ago". Jago watched the screen; a fairly standard room, nothing fancy. It could be almost anywhere in the world. In the room, a woman was sitting, apparently reading something and then set the book down, reaching for the phone, intending to call someone. She dialled in the number and then sat back. Now, the footage had no sound but it was pretty clear what happened next; the twins had answered the phone and one of them had descend to Earth to grant a wish. It was then that things got interesting.

"So she pulled a gun on her?" Jago asked, watching the footage. "Well, it's a bit extreme but-"

"It gets better" Lind said. "Eir said that the girl said "it's taken you long enough! Now I can I finally get a chance to kill one of you fucking goddesses!" it was lucky that these two worked together or…" At that moment, Saga erupted from the mirror on the screen, tackling the women, and pinning her against the far wall, using a butterfly knife to keep her target steady. There were a few more minutes of silent dialogue and then both goddesses disappeared back into the mirror, leaving the woman alone in the room. The screen then faded into static.

"Blimey" Jago said. "Well, if they will go granting wishes in the Humanists zones then-"

"Oh, this wasn't a Humanist zone" Lind said. "This was taken in New Mombasa". Jago looked stunned. New Mombasa was the world's busiest port and second largest city, with only Arusha being larger.

"You say this was Mombasa? A week ago?" Lind nodded. "Is it possible that there could have been cock up with the paperwork? I mean, it's not likely that someone like that is actually deserving of a wish".

"Those were my thoughts but we checked; she was a legitimate wish holder". She paused and picked up a data slate, flicking though the pages. "And she wasn't the first one".

"There've been more?" Jago asked.

"Oh yes" Lind said. "So far, in the last month, we have registered fourty-seven attacks on wish granters in the last sixty three days". She glanced at Jago. "Bear in mind that the average number of attacks for the last thirty years has been less than one a month so this is…"

"Well it's unprecedented".

"Well that's one word for it" Lind said. "Another could be "fucking dangerous". You realise that some of the wish granters are actually refusing to even go to the surface without Valkyrie escort?" Jago looked concerned.

"Are you sure? This could be trouble, especially if Hell is getting more contracts".

"That's just the thing; Urd has been keeping me informed and so is Hagall. Apparently, their demons are having the same kind of problems. In fact, they even had some interesting information for us". She flicked through a few more pages and then paused, handing the data slate to Jago. "Here, this bit at the bottom" she said, point to part of the page. Jago nodded and took the slate, reading carefully.

"You and your kind are all alike" he read aloud. "You all think you can come down her and boss us around? Well guess what; you and your kind will soon no longer be needed. It won't be long until…" his voice slowly faded away as he read on. Then he found the real kicker. "Deaderuss?" he asked, glancing at Lind. "You think the Forgotten Army's involved?" Lind nodded as Jago handed back the slate.

"I'd say it was a safe assumption" she said. The Forgotten Army were a group of Praetorians who had remained to Deaderuss, even after he had turned against them at the end of the Battle for Heaven. Most had eventually come back over to their side, either retiring or being absorbed into the newly expanded Valkyrie corps but a handful had escaped the sacking of the Jötunnberg and were currently believed to be at large in the mountains of Jötunnheim. For the most part, they were too much effort to be worth getting rid of; it would probably cost a great many lives to defeat them and as they were trapped in that cold wilderness, it seemed to like sensible policy to simply ignore them, provided that they were kept under surveillance. However, if they were somehow coming through to Earth and worse, they were targeting wish granters through what appeared to be information gleaned from the Pope Joe collective, it was deadly serious.

"You want me to have a look in on them?" Jago asked and Lind nodded.

"Yeah. We need to know exactly what's going on down there". Jago nodded in return.

"I'll see what I can do. I'll also send a team to Jötunnheim and see if we can track them down there. We'll get to the bottom of this, don't you worry". Lind nodded.

"Thank you. Nothing has happened so far but I don't want to lose any of my girls. And if the Forgotten Army IS involved, well…"

"Say no more" Jago said and they both sighed. "This is gonna be one tough week, isn't it?" he said with a deep sigh.

"Aye, that it is" Lind said. And then she smiled. She stood, walking around the desk to him slowly unbuttoning her shirt. "Now we have all of the serious stuff out of the way, let's get down to business". She sat down on his knee, pulling open her shirt and smiling at him. "You haven't been able to visit me for three weeks and I am SO horny!" Jago grinned.

"Again, say no more!" And he kissed her.

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Peorth glanced surreptitiously around the control room, checking to make sure that nobody was watching her. When she was sure that she was clear, she carefully turned her monitor around VERY slightly and then pressed a tiny icon in the corner of the screen, pulling up the live feed from Lind's office. She was just in time.

"My, my" she said, snapping her fingers and summoning a large tub of popcorn. "Well, let the games begin". She couldn't help but chuckle to herself as she watched, knowing full well that at least a dozen of her fellow goddesses would also be watching. While it was true that she couldn't lie, as a First Class goddess, she WAS allowed to tactfully avoid the question. As such, when she said that she didn't LET her co-workers watch, she had no problem with them setting up a remote access feed to her computer and watching on their own free will. She chuckled softly to herself as she thought of just how apocalyptically cross Lind would be if she knew how many people could see her now. Especially since the desk seemed favourite. "I have to remember to start recording these" she muttered to herself, around a mouthful of popcorn. "I'm sure that Urd and Jeiko would both appreciate their little bouts…"

8888

An hour later, Jago and Lind faced each other across the desk, both as serious and as straight faced as ever, showing no sign of their little passions. They were VERY good at hiding it or so they thought.

"I have to ask" Jago said. "Those guards outside the door…"

"They have ear plugs and I told them to have them in whenever you visit. I have standards after all". Jago nodded and then he paused, tapping his chin.

"Right, my mission for the week; find out exactly who or what is behind the attacks of the wish granters, before something nasty happens. You want me to look into the Bliss thing too?" Lind nodded.

"That might be useful. I don't want to say it but if this is a Humanist thing, rather than the Forgotten Army, then I want to deprive them of as much revenue as possible. I know it's cruel but we can't afford to lose any goddesses here". Jago nodded.

"Alright, I'll put a team together and get right on it. Is there anything else you want me to do?" Lind paused and then she frowned.

"Well actually yes; speak to our daughter for me. She's been acting up again, wanting me to send her on missions, even though she knows I can't do that". Jago grimaced.

"Do I really have to?" he said and Lind shook her head.

"She's your daughter too you know. You can't avoid her forever". Jago sighed and waved his hands in surrender.

"Alright, alright, I'll do it! I'll speak to Temmy for you!" Lind smiled and blew him a kiss as he stood and made for the door.

"Thank you Jago… and don't be too long gone! The nights are cold and I get so lonely…" Jago grinned back at her and then left the room, pulling the door closed behind him. He leaned heavily against it, and wiped the sweat form his brow, muttering to himself.

"Bloody Hell, she's insatiable!" he said.

"You're only as old as you feel" one of the guards said to him without turning.

"That's the problem; I don't feel a god damn thing". Both guards smiled at this and then Jago gave a little chuckled. "You left your earplugs out, didn't you?" And both Valkyries blushed red. "Don't worry" Jago said. "I won't tell anyone… cheeky devils. Besides, right now, I have a teenage daughter to sort out".

8888

The young Valkyrie shifted her weight slightly, glancing at the four others who surrounded her. She grasped her halberd in one hand and smiled a little.

"So you think you've got the drop on me, huh?" she said as her enemies closed in, each brandishing their weapons. Suddenly, the young Trainee shot forward, charging the nearest of her opponents, shrieking as she went. "AYO VALKYRIE!" she screamed, swinging her axe as she went. She struck her first, terrified enemy in the stomach with the haft of her halberd, knocking her flat on her back and kicking her in the chin, knocking her unconscious. At the same time, the other three charged her, each roaring in rage as they tried to engage her. She spun, blocked the blade of one with her own, ducked under a thrust spear, flicked aside a sword tip with the fingers of her spare hand and clubbed two of them down before whipping out her khukuri and swinging it up to rest against the final Valkyrie's throat, her halberd resting on her enemies chest. "Gotta" she said. The other Valkyrie spat.

"Fuck you" she said so the victor shrugged.

"As you wish". With that, she twisted the hand that was grasping her halberd and a sonic pulse erupted from the end of her weapon, throwing the other Valkyrie backwards across the training fields. It was at that moment that she heard clapping.

"Very good Temmy" Jago said, slowly approaching her, clapping as he came. Her eyes widened and the young Valkyrie dropped to her knees, bowing her head in respect.

"Lord Paladin!" she said and Jago grimaced.

"You know I hate that" he said. "And you know what I'd prefer that you call me". The young Valkyrie raised her head, a small smile playing across her lips.

"Dad" she said and Jago grinned.

"It's good to see you Temmy" he said. "You got five minutes for a walk and talk?" Temeraire looked across at her fallen opponents, three of whom were still unconscious and shrugged.

"I guess so" she said, straightening herself and accompanying her father from the training fields.

8888

The young Valkyrie shifted her weight slightly, glancing at the four others who surrounded her. She grasped her halberd in one hand and smiled a little.

"So you think you've got the drop on me, huh?" she said as her enemies closed in, each brandishing their weapons. Suddenly, the young Trainee shot forward, charging the nearest of her opponents, shrieking as she went. "AYO VALKYRIE!" she screamed, swinging her axe as she went. She struck her first, terrified enemy in the stomach with the haft of her halberd, knocking her flat on her back and kicking her in the chin, knocking her unconscious. At the same time, the other three charged her, each roaring in rage as they tried to engage her. She spun, blocked the blade of one with her own, ducked under a thrust spear, flicked aside a sword tip with the fingers of her spare hand and clubbed two of them down before whipping out her khukuri and swinging it up to rest against the final Valkyrie's throat, her halberd resting on her enemies chest. "Gotta" she said. The other Valkyrie spat.

"Fuck you" she said so the victor shrugged.

"As you wish". With that, she twisted the hand that was grasping her halberd and a sonic pulse erupted from the end of her weapon, throwing the other Valkyrie backwards across the training fields. It was at that moment that she heard clapping.

"Very good Temmy" Jago said, slowly approaching her, clapping as he came. Her eyes widened and the young Valkyrie dropped to her knees, bowing her head in respect.

"Lord Paladin!" she said and Jago grimaced.

"You know I hate that" he said. "And you know what I'd prefer that you call me". The young Valkyrie raised her head, a small smile playing across her lips.

"Dad" she said and Jago grinned.

"It's good to see you Temmy" he said. "You got five minutes for a walk and talk?" Temeraire looked across at her fallen opponents, three of whom were still unconscious and shrugged.

"I guess so" she said, straightening herself and accompanying her father from the training fields.

8888

"So how have you been?" Jago asked as he and his daughter strolled through one of the parks that were dotted across Heaven. "I'm sorry I haven't been around much recently; I've been kind of busy". Temmy sighed and shook her head.

"It's alright; you're the Paladin, Dad. If you were here all the time, it would mean that you weren't doing your job". Jago paused and glanced across at his daughter as she walked beside him. She caught his look and smiled to him.

"What?" she asked and Jago shook his head.

"Nothing. I was just thinking how most girls your age would be head over heels for some guy or other". She snorted.

"Don't be daft Dad! You know I don't have time for that kind of crap". Jago shrugged.

"Shame" he said and for most men, it probably was, for his daughter was a rare beauty, even for a goddess. She may have been thirty now but she looked about sixteen, mostly due to the funny way in which goddesses aged. She wore the white and blue leathers of a Valkyrie, although as a Trainee, she only had a single booster on her shoulder, as more would be added as she increased in rank. Her build was similar to Lind's, being thin but powerful, although she was also a couple of inches taller, closer to five foot six than Lind's five-four. Her hair was cropped fairly short and stuck out at odd angles, a deep brown in colour, similar to Jago's, with a long fringe that tended to flop down over one eye. Her face was similar to her mother's although with slightly lower cheeks and with a forehead symbol consisting of what appeared to be a small, winged circle and a mark on each cheek, in the shape of an equilateral triangle resting on one side. It was her eyes that were her most striking thing however; they were identical to Lamb's, being deep turquoise, with amber flecks across each iris. That and her mouth, which smiled almost as much as Jago's, unfortunately flashing the short fangs that grew there. Neither Lind nor Jago were quite sure where they had come from. She hadn't been born with them and they hadn't been there for her baby teeth, only coming in at around the relative age of twelve. It could only be assumed that, similar to Lamb's influence on her eyes, the fangs were the result of Damascus. It was partly because of this, coupled with her powerful parentage and her determination to become the most powerful of Valkyries, just as her mother had been, that conspired to keep Temeraire from developing relationships with anyone. Her only close friends, apart from her parents, were Peorth and Jeiko's eldest daughter, Kitara and her cousin Yukio, who was Belldandy and Keiichi's girl. Plus, there was one other problem…

"So…" Jago said. "You still can't do it, can you?"

"That's correct" she said, her smile fading and her face becoming serious. "I'm still unable to support an angel of any description". She shook her head and then look her father in the eye. "Why is this Dad? My cousins can all support angels and so can my brother. So why is it that I can't?" She growled to herself. "I mean, I may only be a Demi-god but so are Yukio and the Twins" she said, meaning Belldandy and Keiichi's kids. "They can support angels just fine! So why the Hell can't I?" She turned away, burning with anger until Jago sighed and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Come on Temmy, don't be like that! You'll have an angel someday. All you have to do is-"

"But I have no angel potential!" she said, turning, red in the face to Jago. "I can't support a standard angel, I can't support an Arch! Heck, mum even lent me Spear Mint and Cool Mint to see if I had twin potential but that nearly killed them!" She growled her frustration and in a sudden act of violence, she spun around and punched one of the nearby trees. It was a _Lignum vitae _or Ironwood tree, the same species as the wood used to make the haft of both her mother's and her own halberd, being nearly indestructible, but where she struck it with the brass knuckles that were built into the fist of her Valkyrie's uniform, she left deep holes in the dense timber of the tree. Jago shook his head sadly and watched as she tugged her fist clear of the trunk, before turning back to face him. "Sorry" she said. "It's just…"

"I get it" Jago said. "You're frustrated. But remember; Nil Illegitimus Carborundum. Don't let the bastards grind you down. Even without an angel, you're still the daughter of two of the most powerful and influential beings in all of the world; the Paladin and the Almighty One, not to mention that you're nearly as strong as us too. All-"

"Well maybe if you and Mum actually let me go on missions then I might actually become strong enough to support an angel!" She looked pleadingly at Jago. "Please Dad, I'll take anything!" But Jago's frowned, his brow wrinkling.

"The last time someone used that kind of thinking, he burned Heaven to the ground and tried to bring back a Titan. So stop that train of thought right there, do you hear?" Temmy looked dismayed.

"But Dad…"

"Don't you "but Dad" me. You may be a Valkyrie but you're not ready. ESPECIALLY after what happened in Copenhagen". Temmy shuddered. Copenhagen. Her darkest hour. Poor Bob. Poor Chrono…

"But I've gotten stronger since then. Look, even a low level support mission for your Guardians would be fine… Just give me something! You know, just throw the dog a bone". She looked imploringly at Jago and he sighed heavily.

"Alright, alright, I'll speak to your mother and see what I can scare up. IF and only IF I find something and your mum says yes, will I let you come". He gave a grunt as Temmy wrapped herself around him, hugging him tight.

"Thank you Daddy!" she said and Jago smiled, hugging his daughter back.

"You know, you only call me Daddy when you want something" he said as she released him and smiled up at him, as turned to continue their walk. "Now tell me something; who exactly is this mystery woman that your brother is so keen on?" Temmy told him. They both laughed. In fact, Jago laughed so hard, he started to cough. And he couldn't stop. It was five minutes before he finally managed to wheeze to a halt, clutching his chest.

"Bloody Hell, that didn't sound healthy" Temmy said, as Jago wiped his mouth.

"I'm alright" he said, straightening himself and giving a weak grin. "Managed to get myself a chest infection".

"Must be pretty bad" she said, still eyeing him with concern. Jago shrugged.

"Dumb viruses; I may be immortal now but they don't know that". And he smiled at her, easing her fears… as he carefully hid the palmful of blood he had just coughed up.

8888

After dropping Temmy off back at the Valkyrie barracks, Jago went straight back to Earth, taking one of his secret passages to lead him directly back to his home… and he immediately went to the sink in the bathroom, coughing up thick globs of blood which he spat into the sink.

"Fuck me…" he said softly as he wiped his red-stained lips with his sleeve and leaned forward to inspect his face in the mirror, pulling down an eyelid to inspect the bloodshot white.

"Why did you lie to Temmy?" Damascus asked, gently rubbing her Master's shoulders. "She has a right to know". Jago sighed and shook his head.

"I don't know" he said. "I really cannot give an honest answer to that. I mean, how do you tell your little girl that you're dying?" Damascus nodded and laid a hand on his back, running a full bio scan, shaking her head.

"Well you're gonna have to tell her soon" she said. "Temmy, Lind, Hervar, they all need to know". Jago sighed and shook his head again.

"They'll find out soon enough" he said and Damascus sighed.

"Do you want me have another go?" she said and Jago looked at her doubtfully.

"Are you sure? I'd rather like to see tomorrow". Damascus shrugged.

"It's worth a shot" she said. "Anything's better than nothing". So Jago nodded.

"Alright" he said. Gingerly, Damascus laid a hand on his back and start to chant slowly, building up a powerful healing spell. Jago simply stood as his devil worked to try and heal his battered insides, removing the damage as best she could. However, she hadn't got very far when Jago suddenly cried out in pain. "AHHH! STOP! STOP!" he shouted and Damascus dropped the spell, tears in her eyes as Jago leaned forward and started to cough again.

"I'm sorry Master" she said. "I wish I could do more". Jago shook his head and tried to smile.

"It's alright" he said. "I've had this coming for years. Should have known better than to start smoking". He turned and looked back into the mirror at his worn and tired face, sighing deeply and then reached inside the cabinet and pulled out his bottle of quinine tablets, popping a few and gulping them. "How long have a I got?" he asked, looking at his devil as she watched him.

"Eighteen months?" she said without much hope. Jago frowned.

"Ah well…" he said. "I suppose everyone gotta die of something". Damascus didn't answer, just gently hugged her Master, pulling him close. She may have been the first ever Nightmare and a powerful sorcerous but she knew she was powerless to help her Master against the sickness that coursed through his system. In fact, she knew that if she tried to do any more to help him, it would probably just end up killing him. But then Jago spoke, his voice full of reassurance. "Don't worry, I've still got a good few miles left in me yet". He smiled and she smiled back, flashing her fangs at him.

"If you say so" she said and Jago nodded, becoming business like.

"Right then… we need to see Skuld and then we've got an investigation to run. Wanna find Lamb for me?" Damascus nodded and turned, slowly drifting from the room. But as she went, Jago's smile faded and he reached into his pocket, pulling out a crushed packet of cigarettes. "Eighteen months? Better make that twelve" he said as he pulled one out and lit it with a snap of his fingers. "Death by lazy man's suicide".

8888

Temmy sighed as she stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around herself and another around her head to help her hair dry. She then headed back into the locker room and quickly changed into a clean Valkyrie uniform, humming softly to herself. She wanted to get at least a couple more hours of practice in before dark, so that she was ready for whatever it was her dad was preparing. She may be the Almighty One's daughter but she was still only a Trainee and that meant strict rules had to be followed. Back in the barracks before dark, no fighting within the building and no partners or lovers until she was fully accepted into the Valkyrie ranks. It was a pain… except for that last one. She didn't really care about that last one. After curfew, she would probably just hang out in her room, reading up on the latest combat manoeuvres or reading the reports on the latest demon activity. She had her own room, just as all the Valkyries did but they had to share showers and kitchens. It meant that nobody ever became TOO reclusive and it forced them to at least talk to other people occasionally. It wasn't unheard of for some Valkyries to spend too much time alone and slowly be driven mad by it, confined to their own rooms as they liked to be and so, the new system forced them to at least talk to people occasionally. However today, Temmy stiffened as she heard the sound of voices. Here came someone who she REALLY didn't want to talk to. She turned as a newly made up Valkyrie Recruit entered the room, followed by seven or eight others. They were all talking and chatting animatedly, until they spotted Temmy at which point they fell silent.

"Hey girls, look who it is!" said the leader of the little band, folding her arms and grinning. "It's the Wingless Wonder herself!" The other girls giggled as Temeraire continued to lace her boots, not looking up. "What's the matter Temmy? Hasn't the Almighty's daughter got anything to say?" Temeraire paused and glanced over at them.

"Look Persephone, I have nothing to say that I think you'll understand" she said and the other Valkyrie glared at her.

"You saying I'm thick?" she asked, glaring at Temmy who simply shrugged.

"Me? No! I'm just emphasising the fact that your mother and your sister are the same person". Persephone hissed, her brows knitting together.

"You think you can make a fool out of me?" she snarled, making Temmy grin.

"Don't need to" she said calmly, folding her arms. "Nature beat me to it!" SNAP. Persephone roared and charged Temmy who calmly, sidestepped and tripped her opponent who stumbled. Using her momentum to spin herself around, Temmy delivered a savage kick to Persephone's back, slamming her face first into the lockers. "Who's next?" she asked calmly as the senior Valkyrie pulled herself free of the dented metal, murder in her eyes.

"THAT DOES IT!" she screamed. "GET HER!" With that, the other Valkyries rushed Temeraire who readied herself for the coming assault. She fought like a demon, not a literal one obviously but with the ferocity of one, punching, kicking, biting, head-butting. However, for all her strength, she could not take on eight Valkyries at once and she was quickly overwhelmed. She was forced to stand, struggling as one pinned each of her arms while Persephone smiled in victory. "You see?" she demanded, striking Temeraire across the face with the back of her hand. "You have no place here, half-breed!" She punched her in the stomach, doubling her over in pain. Temeraire gasped for breath but her two captors dragged her back up. "Your mother is a whore!" She struck her again. "Your father is a thief!" And again. "And you? You're just a pathetic half-goddess, half-human hybrid, who can't support even the weakest of angels!" She grinned as she leaned close to Temeraire, smiling right in her face. "And you know what? Even if you are Lind's daughter, you will never be the Almighty One! You-" Temeraire head-butted Persephone in the face, shattering the other girl's nose and making her stagger backward, her face streaming blood.

"I'm sorry, were you quite finished?" Temeraire asked, flashing her fangs as the other Valkyrie stumbled backward, clutching at her face.

"YOU LITTLE SLUT!" Persephone screamed as she fought to stem the flow of blood. "RIGHT! TAKE HER!" With that, the others surged around her and beat Temeraire to the ground, kicking and stamping her into a bloody pulp. At last, Persephone called a halt and she rolled Temeraire over onto her back, straddling her, her short dirk in hand. "Now you little half-breed slut, I want you to beg! If you don't, we're going to beat you again and leave you naked in the middle of the square so people can see exactly what a half-breed looks like!" Temeraire glared at her, looking her straight in the eye and spat.

"GO TO HELL!" she screamed and tried to heave Persephone off of her, only to receive a sharp kick in the ribs for her troubles.

"THAT'S IT!" Persephone screamed, slapping her face. "STRIP HER!" With that, the others began to move forward but then the young Recruit raised a hand, a wicked smile on her face. "No… first, let's give her a haircut!" And with that, they fell upon Temeraire, hacking at her beautiful, chocolate brow locks with their knives until Persephone finally called a halt. "Good… now strip the slut! Let's see what she has hiding under those leathers of hers!" At that moment, there was a whoosh and a sudden flash of light and all of the Valkyries were lifted from their feet, slamming against the far walls.

"IF YOU WANT HER, YOU'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH ME!" came a voice and Temeraire struggled around to see another Valkyrie who had just entered the locker room. She was a Trainee, just like Temmy and she looked about the same age, perhaps fifteen or sixteen. However, her uniform was heavily modified, without the long sleeves or the leggings of the standard gear, instead opting for a leather skit and cropped top which left her cleavage and midriff seductively exposed. Oh, it was clear a Valkyrie but she was one of the new unit, the Heavy Hitters, a group of maverick but extremely powerful heavy weapons specialists who were being trained as the new heavy hitters in each Valkyrie unit, replacing the Praetorian Guard as the most powerful fighters. Each controlled a Fighting Archangel, making them extremely powerful in combat, which explained why she had just been able to throw eight Valkyries across the room in a single move. Not only that but this one was one of Temmy's closest friends; her name was Kitara and she was the eldest daughter of Lord Jeiko Sukaru and Peorth, which possibly explained why she dressed like she did. Right now though, she was burning with anger as she dropped to her knees beside Temeraire, helping her up. "Jesus Temmy, are you alright?" she asked, flicking back her four foot long black ponytail and Temmy grinned as she helped her up, wiping the blood from her mouth.

"I'll be alright" she said but Kitara shook her head in horror.

"My god Temmy! Your hair!" she said, as her friend's hair had been hacked short, in some places almost down to the scalp, leaving it in ragged tufts that stuck out in various directions. Only her fringe had survived, flopping forward to cover her swollen right eye.

"It'll grow" she said bitterly and then turned to face the other Valkyries as they struggled back to their feet. "So, do you think we can take them?" she asked, flexing her muscles. Kitara shrugged and her Arch appeared, a beautiful red-head with a sixteen foot wingspan, called Mere Wolf.

"For what they did to you? I'd go to Hell and back!"

"You think you can take us all?" Persephone demanded as she and her little group struggled back to their feet. "There are just two of you hybrids! There are EIGHT of us!" At that moment, their angels all appeared, glaring at Temmy, Kitara and Mere Wolf who glared back.

"Well get a few more of you and then it'll be a fair fight!" Mere Wolf said glaring at her enemies, throwing her wings out to their full extent to show the size of her wingspan and therefore her dominance over all of the others. The other Valkyries glared and weapons were drawn as the two sides eyed each other up. The air crackled with energy as spells were charged and the two sides prepared to engage… and then there was a shout.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?" They all turned and paled as another new Valkyrie entered. However, this was no Trainee. This was a full cohort Captain, many years the senior of the Trainees and Recruits in the room and they all fell to their knees as the angels were withdrawn. She had once been a Praetorian Guard but when Deaderuss had rebelled against Heaven, she and her cohort had sided with Tyr, earning them the name "The Loyalists" when their unit was converted to become the basis for the new Eighth Valkyrie cohort. She looked older than most and indeed she was just about the oldest living goddess there was, beaten only by Anzus in seniority and this was shown in her face; while she still resembled a taller version of her daughter, her face had wrinkled around the mouth and eyes and her once powder-blue hair had faded to steel grey. However, this was all for show as she had lost none of her power or strength, a fact that the young Valkyries were well aware of as she folded her arms across her chest, emphasising the one million skulls tattooed on her arms, one for every being who had been killed when she had authorised the use of a neutron bomb on Heaven. This was Lady Valmeyar, the most senior Valkyrie in service. She was Lind's mother… and Temeraire's grandmother. "WELL?" she demanded, glaring from one group to the other.

"It was my fault" Temeraire said, to the surprise of the others. "I provoked them and got my arse kicked for it". Valmeyar frowned, eyeing Temeraire's battered uniform and ragged hair.

"I see" she said. "Very well, you and Kitara had better come with me". She paused and turned to face Persephone and her group. "As for you lot; clean up this mess! I then want you in my office for a full debriefing! If you're not there by the time I get back, you'll be out of the Valkyries in less than thirty seconds flat! Understand?" They nodded. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!" she bellowed, making them all jump.

"Yes Marm!" they called back and Valmeyar turned away, followed by Temmy and Kitara.

"Bloody Hell, is she ever scary?" one of them asked.

"You bet" one of her friend's said. "And it makes me wonder, what the Hell is she going to do to us?" There was a paused silence. An hour later, they had all resigned and gone to find new jobs. Nobody messed with the Foe Hammer's granddaughter.

8888

Out in the snows of Jötunnheim, a member of the Forgotten Army, a scout, touched down outside the cave that served as their home base, removing her battered helmet. Gone were the glory days of the Praetorian Guard, with their pomp and shiny gear. These were hardened killers, their cloths and gear worn and rusty, their faces haggard from thirty years of exposure to the wind and cold. Slowly, the retuning scout headed towards the back of the cave, nodding to a few of her companions who were also their and then stopped, bowing her head to their leader.

"Lord Trenzilore, I have returned" she said as the masked figure turned to face her. Trenzilore glared down at her, his hooded cloak flapping around him as he nodded.

"Good… has the mission been a success?" he asked, his voice deep and rasping.

"Yes" the scout said. "We have successfully contacted the Humanists and they have begun their guerrilla campaign. It should be more than enough to keep the Guardians occupied". Trenzilore nodded.

"Good" he said. "Now, it is time for us to make out move…" He held up his hand, holding a glowing ball of energy. "The Oracle has spoken. She has shown me the way to defeat Heaven, by first destroying their source of power".

"So you wish us to target Yggdrasil?" the scout asked. Trenzilore shook his head.

"No, that was Deaderuss's mistake. He thought that Yggdrasil was the source of their power but he was mistaken. No, we must target THIS one". With that, an image appeared on the energy ball, slowly condensing into a face. The face of a goddess. "She is their Seraph. Killing her will not limit but permanently cripple their power". The scout wasn't sure that she understood. They all knew that face. If it could bring about the defeat of the Heaven as they had tried to do, so many years ago, then so be it.

"I must ask my Lord, what about the Paladin and his friends? How will we fight them? Their power is great and we are few in number".

"Do not worry" Trenzilore said, turning away to face the being who was chained to the wall. "We shall draw him off and while he is away, she shall turn those friends of his against one another. And when he tries to return, he will find HER waiting". And he grinned at their captive. Battered and bloodied she may have been but it was clear who this was. This was a Gate. And she would be Jago's death.

*1 Thermal High Energy Laser

**Authors Note: Here you go, the first little bit of my new fic. I think you've probably realised by now that this can't and won't be as epic as the first one but it should hopefully be grittier and a bit more entertaining. Hope you like it!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 4**

**The First Strike**

"Lamb? Lamb, where are you?" Damascus grumbled softly to herself as she drifted through the rooms of Buggerup house. The bloody angel had disappeared on her and she needed to find her before they set of to Skuld's base. She checked the kitchen and finding it empty, she drifted upstairs to Lamb's room. Jago had insisted that each of them had their own room. It had nothing to do with the fact that both Archs were female, they were a part of Jago's soul and while it was probably fine to sleep with your own angel, they had never really discussed it. It was the simply a matter of personal space; even angels needed time away from their Master occasionally and so, he had built them each their own room when he had moved their house from Japan to Avalon. It didn't matter really. The slept within Jago most of the time, unless Lind or one of the Mint Sisters was visiting and they wanted a little privacy. Damascus pushed open the door without bothering to knock and spotted Lamb by her wardrobe. Everything was done in pastel shades of cream, blue and pink, from the bed to the curtains furniture but very little in the way of decoration. In fact, all there was a signed picture of Spear Mint, framed and displayed on the desk. She really had no taste. At least Damascus kept her one of Cool Mint well hidden. Well, there was that and an enormous stuffed lamb that Damascus refused to pass comment on. She cleared her throat and Lamb suddenly spun, looking embarrassed and surprised.

"Oh! Damascus, I didn't see you there!"

"Evidently" Damascus said. "Come on, Master wants…" She paused and glanced at the guilty looking angel. She was hiding something behind her back. "What's that?" she asked accusingly. "Have you stolen my picture of Cool Mint?" Lamb looked confused.

"What? No!"

"Then what are you hiding?" She moved to take a look but Lamb turned slightly, blocking her from view.

"Nothing!" she said, just a little too hastily.

"Uh huh" Damascus said, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow. "Come on Lamb, what is it?" Lamb backed up, still hiding the object from view.

"Nothing! It's nothing!" she said desperately as the devil approached her.

"Don't make me do something drastic" Damascus said, raising one hand and preparing to snap her fingers, making Lamb panic. As a former Nightmare and a Casting Archdevil, Damascus knew EVERY spell in the book. In fact, she had quite literally WRITTEN the book, having at one time compiled a list of every spell in existence, both Heavenly, Hell-linked and everything in between. As such, a snap of her fingers could do ANYTHING. Lamb paled.

"Alright! Alright!" she said. "But… I have to get you to promise me something".

"Go on" Damascus said cautiously.

"Whatever I show you, you MUST NOT tell Master, ok?" Damascus looked puzzled.

"What? But he's Master. We can't hide anything from him, we're the physical manifestations of his soul. We're… anthropomorphic personifications".

"That may be so but this is important. He mustn't know. I… can't explain why but he just mustn't". So Damascus nodded.

"Alright. So what exactly is so important that Master can't know about it?" And so, Lamb gingerly brought her hands forward, revealing a box. It was a shoe box that had been carefully lined with tissue to protect the contents. Nothing fancy, nothing special. But what it contained was. Damascus leaned forward to inspect the tiny oval, looking confused.

"Is that…?"

"Yes" Lamb said guiltily. "It's an angel egg". Damascus wrinkled her brow as she inspected it critically.

"An angel egg? Why are you getting so worked up about an egg?" Lamb sighed and gestured to the bed.

"Take a seat" she said. "This may take a while".

8888

"Ok, explain it to me" Damascus said as the pair of them sat on Lamb's bed, crossed legged, with the box containing Lamb's egg between them. "What's so special about this egg? I mean, you're an angel. You must have had hundreds of eggs in your time". Lamb nodded, leaning her hand on her chin.

"I'm over a hundred and fourty-million years old, I've had thousands" Lamb said, looking down at the tiny oval. "But there's something different about this one… she's special".

"Have you gone broody?" Damascus asked, cocking her head sideways. "I mean, I've heard of angels going broody for their first few eggs but never for one as late in life as you claim this one is".

"You know, I think I might be" Lamb said and she gently reached down and lifted the egg from its little nest, cradling it in her hands. "And I know that's stupid. She won't hatch unless she's exposed to a goddess of the right potential but… I don't want to give her up. I've done it for every other egg I've ever had. Like clockwork; every ten years, "pop", a new egg and I send it away to be processed, like all eggs are. Some are used in potions, some are used as alternate power sources, some are converted into spirits to help maintain Yggdrasil until they eventually evaporate and some become new angels, like me. Now I'm not sure about devils but-"

"No, the same happens for us too" Damascus said. "Most eggs are used for other purposes and only when a new demon matures is one egg selected at random and presented to them. Now I'm pretty sure I met one of my girls but that was thousands of years ago… and we both know that angel and devil eggs aren't exactly a valuable commodity. You can pick them up for a pittance from any mail order catalogue".

"I know, I know!" Lamb snapped. "But… I don't understand why but I just can't give this one up! I just can't!" She gripped her egg tightly, holding it in both hands, almost as if Damascus was going to take it from her. The devil looked worried and shook her head.

"It's alright Lamb. I'm not going to steal her" she said softly. At that moment, they heard Jago's voice from downstairs.

"Damascus, you found Lamb yet?"

"Yes Master!" Damascus shouted back but Lamb looked nervous.

"Well come on! Skuld's waiting!" Damascus glanced at Lamb and called back to Jago.

"Wait a minute Master, Lamb and I are having a talk".

"About what?" Lamb looked desperately at her doublet and Damascus bit her lip.

"Umm… angel stuff" she said.

"Angel stuff?" Jago called back. He sounded confused.

"Look, we won't be too much longer" Damascus said. "Just give us a minute".

"Alright" Jago said and there was the heavy clumping sound as he disappeared back down the corridor. Lamb breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you" she said and Damascus shrugged.

"You'd do the same for me… or at least, I hope you would". Then she paused and glanced at the egg again. "So, is your heart really set on keeping this one, for whatever reason?" Lamb nodded.

"Yes" she said softly. Damascus sighed.

"Alright, if that's what you think is best then who am I to interfere? All I can say is that we both know it will never hatch without a host to support her". Lamb nodded and smiled down at the tiny thing, stroking it gently with her hand.

"Yeah, I know" she said and then gently placed in back in the box. Then and much to Damascus's surprise, Lamb reached around to the side and pulled several feathers from her wing, a process which she had been told was extraordinarily painful for an angel. "To keep her warm" Lamb said to the devil's confused look and gently covered the egg in the soft feathers before turning to stand and picking up the box, she put it gently on the top shelf of her wardrobe and shutting the door, storing the key in her cleavage. Damascus shook her head with a sigh.

"Lamb, you're the strangest angel I know" she said.

"Yeah, probably" the angel admitted. "But promise me, you won't tell-"

"Yah, yah, yah, I won't tell Master about your pet egg" she said uncrossing her legs and swinging herself from the bed. "Now come on, Master's waiting for us".

8888

A few miles away, in a tower in the centre of Valhalla, a woman was sat on the sofa of her flat, waiting for her husband to return. Once, the man had been the highest being in all of the world; the Almighty One, ruler of Heaven and master of peace and justice. However, after millions of years on the throne, Tyr had retired, feeling it was time for some new blood, so following his consecutive defeats by Gandamak and Deaderuss's Praetorians, he had left the job to his oldest eligible daughter, Lind and had settled down to become a historian and scholar. And when he had retired, so had Lady Anzus. The six winged goddess had left her job as goddess Aggregate, Principle Representative and she had journeyed to Earth along with her husband, to begin a new life in the city of Valhalla, taking up a post as Avalon's Heaven Ambassador, similar to Belldandy's post as the Nekomi Ambassador. Belldandy… she had wanted her to become the new Almighty One, as her own daughter, rather than Lind but she had known about Tyr's affair for years and so, upon Lind's discovery that she was the first in line to the throne, Anzus hadn't been surprised that she had taken the post. She didn't blame her either. It had originally been meant to be temporary, just until Tyr could be restored but he had declined the job and short of a military coup or a vote of no confidence, Lind had ended up stuck with the job. And a fine job she was doing of it. Anzus hated to admit it but her own daughter's Belldandy and Skuld, would have been unsuited to the job. Belldandy was too trusting and innocent, while Skuld… well, Skuld's angel was the most powerful Engineering Arch that had ever been seen and while that was all wonderful, it meant that apart from Lind, there was only Urd who could have taken Tyr's place and it was far better that they had someone at least, VAUGLY Heaven friendly in power in Hell. No, it was for the best that Lind was in charge now. At least it meant a relatively peaceful life for Tyr and Anzus. The only problem was that since Avalon had been raised from the deep all those years ago and the city rebuilt, Tyr had spent almost all of his spare time in the various libraries and archives, searching for lost information and manuscripts, as he was hoping to compile the most complete record of Heaven and Hell the world had ever seen. And it meant that he was home late almost every night. Anzus sighed and then glanced out of the window, out at the howling wind and rain. That was the only problem with living on an island in the middle of the Atlantic; it had changed part of the world's climate, altering the pattern of hurricanes that had used to sweep up from Africa and into the Americas. It was good news for the Caribbean and the coast of the US but it also meant that the island was lashed by violent storms all through the summer, soaking it with heavy rain and battering it with wind. And from the top of her tower, Lady Anzus looked out at the maelstrom… and took a step back as the glass of her window shattered… and THEY came in through the shattered frame.

"Who are you?" she demanded, rising to her feet, summoning her mighty weapon; an eight foot long battle axe that resembled a crucifix. She faced off against her foes, readying her powerful magic. "What do you want? Why have you come?" But then she heard a voice behind her. A female voice.

"Why, isn't it obvious?" the voice said in a mocking tone. "We've come for you, oh mighty Seraph!" And Anzus screamed…

8888

"Bloody weather!" Jago said as he returned to the Guardian Corp building, traveling down the stairs to the cellar, where Skuld had set up her workshop. "Can't make up its bloody mind today! First they say it's going to be fine and then it chucks it down!"

"_Well at least it's not raining sharks again" _Damascus commented from inside him. He didn't answer, just continued down the stairs until they at last came to a set of heavy blast doors at which point they stopped. Suddenly, a large turret appeared from the ceiling, dropping down in front of Jago.

"_Unidentified being, you have entered a restricted area_" the turret demanded as a camera appeared in the centre. "_Please provide voice identification or prepare to be vaporised. Thank you_". With that, a pair of large mini-guns appeared on the side of the turret, training on Jago and spinning up to firing speed.

"Skuld, let me in you silly bugger!" Jago shouted.

_"Skuld, let me in you silly bugger!"_ the voice scanner repeated and then a green light flashed. "_Access approved"._ With that, the turret retracted back into the ceiling and the doors slid open, revealing Skuld's workshop. It was pretty much what you might expect. Various machines in varying degrees of construction were scattered across the room, ranging from tiny robots to what looked like a full scale replica of a Klingon Warbird, hanging from the ceiling via a series of heavy chains. And then there was an explosion. Jago dropped to his knees as a ball of fire engulfed much of the room, blowing metal and hunks of machinery around and sending a figure hurtling across the room.

"Still not having any luck with the H3 stabilisation?" Jago asked as Skuld pulled herself from the wall.

"None what so ever!" she said, grumbling to herself as she wiped the soot from her face. "I don't understand it! Whenever I try to get the bloody thing to work, it blows up!" Jago grinned as he crossed to her, licking three fingers and pinching out a smouldering strand of hair.

"Don't worry, you'll get there in the end". Skuld smiled at him and he grinned back. She had matured since her days as a bratty little twelve year old or even during after the Battle for Hero's Plaza, where she had aged from twelve to fifteen in less than a day, hardened by the horrors of war. Now, she was about eighteen and kept her raven hair tied back in a long ponytail and while she had kept her pale pink robes, she had improved the design, helping to promote her new feminine curves, she was still the same old Skuld, still as eccentric and wacky as ever. And while she had eventually decided against a career in the Valkyrie corps, she had later volunteered for Jago's Guardians, heading the Combat R&D Unit. As such, she wore her Guardian's badge with pride and looked forward to Jago's visits as it gave her chance to test out some of her latest gear.

"Thanks" she said, accepting a large, silk handkerchief from him and using it to mop some of the soot from her face.

"So I heard you wanted to see me about something?" Jago said as she handed back the handkerchief.

"Yeah, I'm glad you came" she said. "I've finished the new prototypes for the new Guardian gear… including the Holy Trinity".

"Oooooh" Jago said, grinning. The Holy Trinity was the code name for the latest series of Guardian Corp vehicles, designed to increase the mobility and firepower of the force as a whole. They consisted of three vehicles; the Leviathan naval unit, a fast and manoeuvrable hydroplane warship, capable of hovercraft operations, the Goliath land unit, a medium weight, tracked vehicle that could either operate as a tank or an APC and the Ziz air unit, a heavily armed gunship that was capable of acting as a light transport aircraft or even as a drop-ship for space insertion operations, both too and from the Mars and Luna colonies. Together, they would drastically boost the combat ability of the Guardians, once they were put into full production. "You certainly work fast" Jago said. "How long until they're ready for production?"

"Any day" Skuld said. "All I have to do is get them cleared with Whirlwind and we can begin production. With luck, we can have the first of each unit ready within the week". Jago grinned.

"Nice". Skuld grinned back and nodded towards another part of her lab.

"Come on, we're about to do a test on the Goliath". She turned and led the way towards another section of her lab, leading Jago past various machines in various states of repair. Some were clearly under construction, some appeared to have been abandoned and some were covered in swarms of Banpei robots who worked tirelessly to strip them down for parts, to be used on other projects. Finally, they reached a walled off section which opened as they approached, leading to a large, inside training area. They preceded up a set of stairs to an observation area and then looked down at as a test operation was being run; a simulated battle between five tanks. Four were the latest generation of American Abrams tanks, the M1A5 version, equipped with a new armour suite and a more powerful gun, as well as an automated defence system. Together, the four of them manoeuvred across the practice field, working to try and outflank the fifth vehicle. This one was different. It looked a little like a late model Israeli Merkava tank but with differences; it was much lower than the Merkava and its turret curved down gracefully to merge almost seamlessly with the hull. The vehicle itself was dark grey in colour and it seemed to crouch, like a giant hunting cat, waiting for its prey, its main gun trained on the rise that currently hid the other tanks from view.

"So what kind of test is this?" Jago asked as the Abrams crested the rise. Skuld shrugged.

"Live fire. Don't worry, the Abrams are all drones; a little something we worked on for the UNAF (*1). As for the Goliath? Well, you'll see". With that, the Goliath's main gun swung around, training on the nearest tank and it fired, spitting a powerful tungsten sabot at the tank. There was surprisingly little noise from the gun itself; it was a railgun, meaning it relied on powerful magnets to accelerate shells, rather than an explosive charge. However, overall it was anything but silent as the shell was instantly accelerated to more than Mach 7 and screamed forward, trailing a streak of plasma behind it, scorching the retinas of the watchers. The shell struck the front armour of the lead Abram, punching through the supper tough Chobham with ease and blowing the other tank apart. However, as the first tank in the squad fired exploded, the other three pushed forward, firing their guns. All three shells were on mark but a split second before they struck, a smaller turret on top of the main one rotated around, firing off an intense beam of energy, a THEL and it vaporised the shell, splattering the front of the Goliath with molten metal but leaving no real damage. The other two shells however, struck the front of the tank… and simply vanished in a burst of sparks.

"What the Hell?" Jago asked but before he got a reply, the Goliath fired again. This time, the shell detonated just in front of Abrams, sending out a pulse of energy that coursed through the building, causing hair to stand on end and circuits to spark.

"VIRCATOR shell" Skuld said, by way of explanation. "Low powered EMP. Fries the electrics on enemy tanks for a short while. Also makes them pretty good at bringing down low flying aircraft, provided they can sight on them in time". With that, the Goliath fired again, picking off the disabled Abrams one by one, until they were all reduced to smoking wrecks. "Well I think that counts as a victory" Skuld said and turned to Jago. "Shall we?"  
8888

Noble Scarlet pulled off her helmet and shoot out her curly blonde hair as she popped the hatch of her Goliath and clambered out of the vehicle.

"Good work boys" she said to her pair of Banpei robots who had been her Gunner and Driver during the operation and they flashed their appreciation to her as she clambered down form the tank.

"So how was it?" Skuld called over to her as she and Jago approached the tank.

"This thing's a beauty!" Noble Scarlet said, winking and flashing a thumbs-up. "It's fast, it's manoeuvrable, that gun is awesome and that armour is unbeatable! It'd take a Level Five kaiju to even dent this thing!" And with that, she unfolded her wings, stretching them to their full extent. Upon the discovery that Noble Scarlet was an Arch, she and Skuld had worked to develop her powers, increasing their combined strength exponentially. As such, her once tiny wings which had barely had a span of five feet were now more than fifteen feet across, marking her as being stronger than either Holy Bell or World of Elegance, while still having room to grow. Luckily, they had both matured and it wasn't likely that they would try anything TOO stupid for the moment.

"How goes it Little Red?" Jago asked, calling Noble Scarlet by her pet name. Noble Scarlet blushed and smiled.

"I'm good" she said. "And it's good to see you". Jago nodded and then turned his attention to the tank.

"Well this is certainly a beast" he said. "If the Leviathan and Ziz are as nasty as this, then I can look to retire in the next five years".

"Well you can dream" Skuld said as he inspected a hole where an enemy shell had struck the tank. "Careful" she said. "Electro-active armour. If a shell penetrates the outer shell of the tank, it closes a circuit and basically fires it. Burns it into sludge and that can't beat the stuff behind".

"So what's its main armour?"

"Fourth generation Chobham" Noble Scarlet said. "Twice as tough as the stuff they use on those things". She gestured towards the burning Abrams. "Plus, there's also a sheet of depleted uranium under-armour to protect against the REALLY serious penetrations".

"And what about that thing?" Jago asked, pointing at the THEL mounted on the turret.

"Defensive laser" said Skuld. "It shoots down incoming shells or can be turned against enemy soldiers. Now, we were planning to fit a microwave emitter but-"

"Bugger that for a game of soldiers!" Jago said, looking disgusted. "Those things explode you from the INSIDE! It'd be like… well, it'd be like putting a poodle in the microwave!"

"I know! I know! That's why we went for the THEL instead!" Jago nodded cautiously and then paused.

"Is this thing still running? I can't hear an engine". At this point, both Skuld and Noble Scarlet grinned.

"Oh it's running alight!" said Skuld.

"It's just VERY quiet!"

"What kind of engine is it?" Jago asked.

"Liquid hydrogen-electric hybrid" Noble Scarlet said. "It's not H3 powered yet but it's still pretty powerful".

"You're telling me!" Jago said, looking up at the big tank. "How much does this thing weigh?" he asked. Skuld shrugged.

"About twenty tons" she said. Jago looked astonished.

"Are you serious? I've never heard of a main battle tank weighing less than forty!"

"Well we've come a long way since the days of Street-fighter" Skuld said. "Believe me; this thing is probably as good a tank as ever there will be! There is NOTHING that can beat one of our Goliaths in a straight fight!" They all shared a grin but then Jago's phone jingled and he sighed.

"Sorry" he said, snapping it open. "Hey up?" he said and then listened carefully. After a few minutes, he snapped it closed. "I'm sorry but I've gotta go. Weth says there's been some kind of incident in the city and she thinks I'd better be there to check it out". Skuld and Noble Scarlet glanced at each other and grinned.

"Will you be doing any fighting?" Skuld asked and Jago shrugged.

"Probably. You never know but I usually do".

"Good" said Noble Scarlet. "So how about you do some field testing for us?"

"Well that depends" Jago said. "Do the Goliaths come in blue?"

"I'll see what I can do" said Skuld.

8888

"So what is it?" Jago asked as Skuld gingerly lifted the device from its cradle.

"This" she said, "is a sonic shotgun".

"Now I like the sound of it" Jago said as Skuld held it out to him, "but why would I need it when I've still got the Sledgehammer". He reached under his jacket and pulled out the biggest revolver the world had ever seen. With the increase in size and power of many of the things he was fighting, Jago had traded in his old .22 and .45 for the massive revolver, allowing him to pack that extra punch he needed. It really was vast; it was designed to fire the same 20mm rounds as the Denel NTW-20 (*2) and could carry eight of them. It was so big in fact that you could just about squeeze two fingers down the barrel, simultaneously and so heavy was the gun, with so much recoil that even Jago would have been unable to fire it, had it not been for the fact that he now shared Lamb's strength. Skuld snorted as he spun the vast pistol around his finger, tossed it in the air, caught it and holstered it again.

"Show off" she said.

"Well I've gotta have a little flair" he said.

"Well try this out for size" Skuld said and taking aim at one of her long abandoned creations, she fired. The gun gave a deep, dull "BOOM!" and a pulse of pure sound energy shot from the barrel, punching through the machine and then the wall behind it. "Plus it also has a kick-ass reload!" she said. She held her thumb down on the rear of the gun, releasing the locking mechanism and then flicked her wrist. The gun's entire barrel spun downward and she circled it three times before it automatically locked back into place. "It's got three settings" she said. "Stun, kill and pulverize".

"I'm guessing that last one was pulverize?" Jago said and Skuld nodded.

"Yep. Now because of its design, it never needs to be recharged. Just spin it three times around your hand to reenergise the dynamo, then point and fire. It's only effective to about thirty feet but even beyond that, it'll give you a nasty sting, depending on the setting". Jago took the gun and carefully inspected it.

"Alright, I'll give it a go. You want a receipt?"

"Of course I want a receipt! D you realise how much that cost?!"

"You're worried about cost?" Skuld snorted.

"Of course I am! I may be Heaven sponsored but believe it or not, I DO have a limit to my annual budget! And prototypes are about three times as expensive as the real thing!"

"So why not give me the real thing?"

"Because you keep breaking the prototypes!" They both chuckled and then Jago cocked his head.

"I don't suppose…" he said and Skuld sighed.

"You want the blue one or the green one?"

"Always the blue one". Skuld nodded and drifted over to her toolbox, pulling out another sonic device; a screwdriver.

"And you will return this, right? I've only got about five left".

"I'll try" Jago said and tucked it into his pocket. Then the two glanced at each other.

"Fourteenth or fifteenth Doctor?" Skuld asked.

"Fifteenth every time". Skuld looked shocked.

"Seriously? That guy was OLD!"

"He was funny!" Jago said. "Come on, Rowan Atkinson as the Doctor? What more could you ask?"

"I liked the nineteenth Doctor" she said, folding her arms with some finality.

"That guy? Uh! He was a douche!"

"What do you mean? He was gorgeous!"

"Sure, he was a knicker-dropper… if you were a prepubescent girl! But for someone who actually cares about the series, he was awful! He didn't have a funny bone in his body!"

"Don't you dare rag him! I'm older than you!"

"I outrank you!" The two glared at each other and then burst out laughing.

"You'd better get going. Don't want to keep Weth waiting". Jago nodded and turned to leave. Skuld never did get that shotgun back…

8888

Lind sighed as she stared at the trio of goddesses before her, steepleing her fingers in front of her face. This was the third time in as many weeks that she had had her own daughter and that friend of hers in front of her desk, for getting into fights out of hours. Why couldn't they learn that if they wanted to beat the shit out of someone, they should do it while they were still on the training fields, not wait until afterwards and total half of the Valkyrie's changing rooms?

"Ok" she said very slowly, not bothering to glance at her mother who was stood at her elbow or at Peorth who was stood, beside her daughter, furious at having been dragged up to see Lind during working hours again. "Temmy, please tell me… exactly… what happened". Temmy glanced at Kitara who glanced back and then she cleared her throat.

"It wasn't anything really. We were… sparring in the changing rooms and it got a bit out of hand". Lind glanced at her daughter's ripped uniform and savaged hair, cut so short during the attack, that could pass as a man in poor light.

"Sparring?" Lind asked and Temmy nodded.

"Yes. I know it's against the rules but-"

"SHE'S LYING!" Kitara snapped, stepping forward. "I SAW THE WHOLE THING! SHE-" She suddenly stopped, embarrassed by the outburst and back away. "Sorry" she said.

"Please excuse my daughter" Peorth said, glaring at her. "She forgot who was speaking too". Lind nodded and looked across at her daughter's friend.

"It's quite alright Peorth. Kitara will be allowed to give her own version of events soon enough. However, until then, I must ask that she refrain from speaking, at least until Temmy has given her account of what happened". Both Peorth and Kitara nodded before Temeraire started again.

"It was my fault; during the match, I tried to use a spell that was too powerful for me and it nearly killed us all. If it hadn't been for Kitara and Mere Wolf, both myself and Persephone's gang would all be dead now". She paused and straightened herself. "Lady Almighty One, I take full responsibility for what occurred. I am willing to accept any punishment that you see fit to dispose on me. I only ask that you spare both Kitara and Persephone and her crew. This is my fault and my fault alone". Lind leaned to one side, resting her head on one hand.

"So not only are you a piss-poor liar but you are a masochist as well?" she asked. "And DON'T try to contradict me, I know you're lying. I AM your mother after all. As to punishment, while what you are suggesting is noble, you should never accept more than is duly owed to you. I made that mistake once and look where it got me". Both girls shuddered. Everyone knew about Lind's scar; the mark of a traitor which had been branded between her shoulder blades by Deaderuss, following Lind's failure to recapture Lamb when she had fallen to Earth and for breaking her Valkyrie's vow of celibacy by sleeping with Jago. Lind then turned to Kitara. "Ok, now I want to hear your version of the story. So what happened exactly?" Kitara glanced at Temmy who gave the very slightest shake of her head and then she glanced back at Lind, taking a deep breath.

"Ok" she said. "I was just coming into the changing rooms when I heard voices. I approached as silently as I could and I was just in time to see Persephone attack Temmy. Judging from what I had heard, they had been exchanging insults but it sounded as if Persephone had started it. Anyway, Temmy beat down Persephone and so, the slut told- I mean, SHE told her groupies to attack Temmy. Temmy fought as hard as she could but she couldn't risk using her weapons as she'd likely kill or more of them and so, they beat her up and began to torture her. At that point, I decided that I needed to intervene and started to charge a powerful combat spell. I did it as quickly as I could and so, it was pretty sloppy but I managed it and just in time too as I heard them say they were going to strip Temmy". All three of the senior goddesses glanced at the pair but said nothing, allowing Kitara to continue. "Anyway, I hurled the spell at them and knocked them away but by then, I was too late; they had already cut all of Temmy's hair". She hung her head in shame. "I'm sorry… if I had been a little faster or-"

"Now isn't the time" Lind said. "Just finish your story". Kitara nodded.

"Yes Lady Almighty One. Anyway, Temmy and I squared off against them but we were outnumbered by two to eight, so I called out Mere Wolf to even the odds. They called out their angels and we were about to start fighting properly when Lady Valmeyar showed up and well…" Her voice faded away and she looked imploringly at Lind who nodded slowly.

"I see" she said. "Well that appears to corroborate with what Valmeyar has already told me. It would appear that Temeraire was the victim of an attack and you Kitara, were simply trying to protect her. As such, neither you nor Temmy will receive any further punishment from myself. Your mother on the other hand…" she said, glancing at Peorth who was still glaring daggers at her eldest daughter, "well, she can deal with you as she sees fit. Kitara, Peorth, you are free to go". The pair bowed their heads and thumped their shoulders with their fists, before turning to leave, hissing an argument as they went. It was only when the doors to the office finally snapped shut that Lind finally turned to Temeraire again. "Temmy, Temmy, Temmy, what the Hell am I going to do with you?" she said with a mixture of frustration, resignation and sadness. Temmy glanced from her mother to her grandmother and back, before clearing her throat.

"If you please, Lady Almighty One-"

"You know the rules; call me Mum" Lind said with a little exasperation.

"Sorry. Anyway, Mum, what exactly is going to happen Persephone and her friends? I haven't lost them their jobs have I?" Lind sighed as she looked at her daughter.

"You know, you've picked up FAR too much of your father. You CARE about people way too much. When I was a Valkyrie, if it was my fault, I would admit it but if it wasn't I would damn well let someone know about it… and to answer your question, Persephone and her crew have resigned from the Valkyries and have taken a leave of absence to Earth… Antarctica I believe". Temmy looked horrified.

"What?" she said, her voice barely a gasp.

"It was either that or a thousand years as prison wardens in the Incubus prisons" said Valmeyar, speaking for the first time since the interview began. "That would soon set them straight". Temmy cringed at the very thought of the place. The Incubus Prisons were the most notorious jails in all of Heaven, where they stored the incredibly dangerous rape demons. Only either the most fool hardy of goddesses or those under severe punishment were ever taken as wardens, due to the fact that over the years, many of the demons had lost their humanoid bodies, devolving into enormous, tentacled beasts of pure lust. In fact, it was thought that an accidental visit to the Incubus Prisons via a luckless (or lucky, depending on your point of view) human had kick-started the entire Hentai culture, following the tales of what he had seen in there.

"Surely that would have been going a bit far?" Temmy asked, feeling a little sick.

"There's a reason that they chose Antarctica" Valmeyar said.

"And now, you" Lind said, sighing heavily. "Look Temmy, you've got to stop. You can't keep getting into fights like this! You're going to be the Almighty One, one day. You can't afford to alienate so many people".

"Well that's just it" Temmy said. "I can't help it! While I never start a fight, I will always take one if it's coming. Besides, most of them hate me anyway!"

"Oh come on, they don't hate you…" Lind said but her voice lacked conviction.

"I thought a first class goddess couldn't lie" Temmy said. "And you know they do. Come on mum, I may be the Almighty's daughter but I'm not a full goddess. I'm a half-human hybrid who can't support an angel but with more power than anyone short of a Valkyrie Captain. I can't think of a single person beyond our immediate family who DOES like me!"

"That's a bit harsh" Lind said. "Belldandy and Morisato's kids never had any trouble and they're half-human".

"No offence but their mother isn't an ex-Valkyrie war goddess who-"

"Became the Almighty One because nobody else was available to take the job, was never very popular to begin with and can kill almost anyone else in the universe with a snap of her fingers?" Lind said.

"Well… yeah. Most of them still think that Belldandy should have been Almighty".

"Yes, I know" Lind said, becoming stern. "I get told that every time that Osiris comes to visit". Lind stopped, shaking her head and sighed. "Look, I know how you feel, alright? I was the One Winged Wannabe for years. It wasn't until I proved myself on operations that I earned any respect. NOW" she said, cutting Temmy off before she could speak, "while I can't let you go on the missions yet, especially after the Copenhagen Incident, I can offer you an opportunity". Temmy's face didn't show any sign of emotion but both Lind and her mother could see that she was bursting to hear what they had to say. "As you know, the Deity Games are in a few days. If you make a good showing during the competition then PERHAPS, I might consider letting you accompany some of the Valkyries on low level operations. Not only that but if you make a REALLY good showing, then it MIGHT go some way towards earning you if not friendship then at least some respect. You think you can manage that?" Temmy beamed, nodding her head vigorously. "Good. Now you're free to go…" Temmy bowed her head and thumped her shoulder with her fist before turning and striding from the room. It wasn't until she was out of the door and well down the corridor that she leapt into the air punching the sky with joy. It wasn't a mission but her mother had managed to get her a place in the Deity Games! She grinned hugely and went off to find Kitara. This was going to be epic!

8888

Lind sighed as she watched her daughter out of the room and turned to her mother, picking up her stress ball and giving it a squeeze.

"What are we going to do with her?" she asked.

"You were just like her when you were her age" Valmeyar said.

"True" Lind said. "But whenever I fucked up, I wasn't to know that when I was up in front of the Almighty One, I was actually speaking to my father". The pair both sighed as they thought back on those days. Life had been simpler then. It was then that the phone rang and Lind picked it up. "Hello?" she said with a deep note of resignation. "This is the Almighty One speaking". She paused and listened to the message, her face hardening like flint. "Is that so?" she said. There were a few minutes more and then she nodded to herself. "Understood" she said, putting down the phone and turning to Valmeyar. "I've got a job for you. Fancy a trip to Earth?" Valmeyar shrugged.

"I may be your mother but YOU are the boss. I go where you tell me to". Lind nodded.

"Good. Well I need you on Avalon. There's been an incident and Jago wants a Valkyrie's opinion on the matter". Valmeyar nodded.

"Whatever he needs. So what's happened?"

"That's just it; we're not sure what's happened. But it appears… that Anzus has been attacked".

8888

Jago stood, inspecting the room, illuminated by the light of the two SMH-60 Ghosthawk helicopters that hovered outside the shattered window, their floodlights illuminating Tyr and Anzus's apartment. The Ghosthawk was the Guardian's current utility helicopter, at least until they had the Ziz ready; a stealth version of the UH-60 Blackhawk, it may have been an older design now but it was still a rugged and powerful beast, capable of operating in all weathers and in any environment. It was just as well too; this was a particularly brutal storm and certain parts of the city had lost power, including this tower block, meaning that the helicopters were forced to provide lighting for the Guardian investigators as they worked.

"So what have you got?" Jago asked as he turned away from the helicopters and to one of his investigators.

"That's just it" she said, shaking her head, "we can't find a damn thing. Beyond the smashed window and the fact that Anzus is missing, we wouldn't even know that something had happened".

"What about witnesses?" The investigator shrugged.

"One of the neighbours heard something… a crash and then a few moments later, there was a scream. They tried ringing the bell but nobody answered and so they called the Guardians. Tyr arrived just we did and… well, that's it really". Jago nodded and then turned as something flashed in the back room.

"Jago, is that you?" came a voice.

"Valmeyar? That you? We're in here!" Valmeyar pushed the door open and Jago nodded to his mother-in-law. "Lind sent you?" he asked and she nodded.

"Yes. She said that something had happened to Anzus and that you wanted a Valkyrie's opinion on it". Jago nodded and turned to the investigator.

"You can go" he said. "I'll give you a shout if we need you". She nodded and turned away, leaving Jago and Valmeyar alone.

"You know that daughter of yours has been raising all kinds of Hell" Valmeyar said. "She got into a fight with EIGHT other Valkyries and took a pasting for it. And then she tried to make like it was all her fault". Jago snorted.

"More fool her... but I guess she got that from me". He cleared his throat and then nodded to Valmeyar. "So, what do you know so far?"

"Not much. Lind said that Anzus was attacked but beyond that, she didn't say. So what's happened?"

"Well that's just it, we're not sure. We have a broken window, a missing goddess and apparently, there was a scream. She might have jumped but there's no sign of a body and we doubt she went anywhere in this weather". He gestured to the raging storm as it buffeted the building, staining the carpet with rain. "Tyr came in just as we did and Anzus was gone. Think you can help?" Valmeyar paused and then nodded before starting to slowly move around the room.

"Ok…" she said. "There were people here". She glanced down at the floor. "Glass had been trodden into carpet and most of it appears to be INSIDE the room, suggesting that the window was broken inward. Judging from what I can see, there were at least three people here. But… that's strange. I would hate to admit it but Anzus is just about as powerful a goddess as they come. Whoever was here must have been incredibly powerful".

"Well what makes you say that?" Jago asked.

"Well isn't it obvious? Anzus isn't missing; she was taken. And we're not talking just a simple raid. I think this was a planned attack. Whoever went after her, they were here specifically for Anzus. That's what troubles me. She's clearly not dead… there would be blood or at least some kind of struggle. But there's nothing, just a broken window. No, she's been kidnapped".

"Kidnapped? Who and why? I would have said Humanists but it would have been a serious problem for take a full First Class goddess from her own home. Plus, we didn't detect any kind of aircraft either entering or leaving our airspace".

"Forgotten Army" Valmeyar said. "They're the only ones I can think of who would be capable of taking Anzus without killing her. The problem is, that just raises more questions".

"Aye. Not only, "Why?" but "How the Hell did they get out of Jötunnheim?" They don't have access to a Gate and I moved the Jötunnheim Gate into Gandamak's custardy. If it was really the Forgotten Army, then how did they get her? And why take Anzus? I would have thought I was the more obvious target. Well, myself, Lind or one of our children. Maybe Keiichi or Bell but… Anzus? Sure, she's a former goddess Aggregate, Principle representative but the point there is just that; former. She has no access to Yggdrasil operations anymore so why take her? Why not just kill her?"

"I fear a political statement of some kind" Valmeyar said. "They're probably using her as a tool to show how vulnerable the Earth is to attack or some such crap. But you're right; why would they keep her alive?" Then she knelt, spotting something that had fallen under the sofa. "Ha…" she said, pulling the object out and holding it up to the light of the helicopter's floodlights. "Angel feather".

8888

Anzus grunted as they forced her to her knees on the hard ground and then gasped as they removed the filthy hood from her face.

"Welcome, Lady Anzus, to our humble abode!" She looked up… into a masked face. "It has been many years since we last met" the man said. "It is just a shame that it had to be under these circumstances". Anzus growled.

"Who are you? What do you want with me?" she demanded.

"It's not you we want" the man said but then paused. "I get ahead of myself. Allow me to introduce myself; you may call me High Lord Trenzilore. I am the commander of the Forgotten Army". Anzus paled. The Forgotten Army. That host of traitors and renegades had… captured her?

"What do you want? Why have you taken me?"

"Like I said, it's not You we want. It is your power… oh Seraph". And then Anzus suddenly realised why she had been taken… and what her fate was. She hung her head, knowing what was to come.

"So I am to die am I? To strip Heaven of its might? You know that won't do you any good, right?" Once I am dead, the new Seraph will reveal herself and Heaven will be restored. And when that happens, oh but you had better watch out! Because they will not rest until the Paladin does unto you what he has done to every other traitor since the Kronos War… driven a nail into your skull with his bare hands!" Behind the mask, Trenzilore grinned.

"You think it will that easy to be rid of me? I have already located the next Seraph. She will soon be in our custardy and when she is, she will be forced to our side. With her working with us, Heaven will be overwhelmed and as for the Paladin and his friends… well, we have something special in mind for them". Anzus lifted her face, glaring at the dark sockets of the mask, trying to see who's eyes lay beyond them, even as Trenzilore drew his knife.

"So you plan to kill me now?" she asked.

"No not yet. We need you alive for… other purposes".

"Then at least show me your face. Let me see the bastard who will be my undoing". And so, Trenzilore reached up, removing his mask. Anzus gasped. "YOU?" she said, her voice full of horror as the man replaced his mask.

"Yes" he said simply. "But now, I have to deal with you. You see, we can't have you escaping and so my dear Seraph, we must take your wings". Anzus paled.

"What? My wings? But even you would not be that cruel!"

"I wouldn't… but the Oracle would". And Trenzilore moved aside, handing his knife to the woman who had been sat behind him the whole time, her form hidden by a camouflage spell. Anzus screamed.

*1 United North American Federation, a new super nation composed of the former USA, Canada, Mexico and most of the Caribbean islands

*2 Most powerful production rifle EVER. You think the Barrette .50 cal is good? This may not have the range but it's TWICE as powerful!

**Authors Note: Hey you guys! So what did you think? The plot thickens no? Who is Trenzilore, why did he take Anzus, what the Hell is a Seraph and what the Hell is going to happen next? Well, you'll find out soon enough.**

**As to my two anonymous reviews, I have this to say; **

**Yes, Jago is a bit of a Gary Stew. I'm loath to admit it but he is a bit. I hope that isn't a problem. HOWEVER, Jago however is NOT me (I'm far too sensible for this crap); he was not created as a machine simply to have sex with the cannon characters and while I will admit that he is very powerful, he does actually have weaknesses (which many Gary Stews don't). He has a PERSONALITY. He has BACKGROUND. He is a person in his own right.**

**As for my other one, I have a question for you; how the Hell do you top beating the living crap out of the flesh-avatar of a Titan, who could break the Almighty One (Lind or Tyr, take your pick) in half with one hand? So no, I can't make it QUITE as epic. But I WILL still make it as good a read as I can, hopefully with plenty of funnies and punching people in the face! And it is still gonna be EPIC, no matter what happens. I don't do little stories.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 5**

**Call Me Trenzilore **

Urd sighed as she looked up from the mass of paperwork that littered her desk. It had gotten to the point that she had actually had to implement a three pile sorting system; In, Out and Shake It All About, just to stay on top of it all. Then again, she was the Daimankaichō now, so it was little surprise that this was her job now… especially since Hell had invented bureaucracy. Still, she was a little grateful when the buzzer on her desk activated, with her secretary's voice crackling through.

"_Excuse me Lady Urd but there is someone on the phone for you_".

"Who is it?" Urd asked and there was a moment of silence.

"_It's Paladin Jago"_ the woman replied and Urd paused. Jago? Why was he calling her?

"Patch him through" Urd said and then picked up the receiver for her phone. "Jago?" she asked.

"_You got it_" he said. "_Look Urd, I'll cut to the chase; there's been an incident up here. We're not quite sure who or what's behind it but I'm calling in the High Council. We're meeting aboard the Isolus in three hours; think you can make it?" _Urd paused.

"I'll leave Jarrett with my mother and meet you there" she said. "So I'll see you soon?"

"_Aye, don't be late"_. With that, Jago was gone. Urd leaned back in her seat, stretching her arms out behind her. Calling in the High Council? Well Jago wasn't one to worry about nothing. If he felt that there was something that warranted the attention of the entire Council, it would not be something minor. She pressed the intercom button, speaking to her secretary.

"Cancel all my appointments for this afternoon. Hagall and I need to head to Earth for a critical meeting with the Paladin".

"Understood" her secretary said. "_Bitch_" the demon thought.

8888

"So you say that the Isolus is a ship?" Skuld asked as she piloted the Embassy's VTOL, an unarmoured prototype of the Ziz gunship.

"Apparently" Belldandy said. "The problem is, nobody is sure what kind of ship it is. Nobody outside the Guardians has ever seen it and for some reason, we can't pick it up on Yggdrasil".

"Well we'll soon find out" Keiichi said. "We're there. I'm still wondering why he chose a place like this as a base. It's a bit out of the way". Belldandy glanced at her husband and shrugged. Keiichi, blessed with immortality in the same way that Jago had been, hadn't aged in the slightest since the end of the Kronos war, with the exception of his chin which now sported a rather fetching little goatee.

"I think it's symbolism" Belldandy said. "I mean, this place is called Archangel, isn't it? Perhaps he's using it as a reminder to the world of how strong he is?"

"It could be" Skuld said from the cockpit, "but it's actually called Arkhangelsk (*1) and no matter the reason that he chose this place, it's going to be FREEZING when we land!"

"I'm still trying to work out why he called us here" Keiichi said, folding his arms. "I mean, I heard he's calling in the High Council so why would he want us?" It was a question that had been bothering the three of them since Skuld had picked them up from the Embassy in Nekomi, borrowing one of the transports from the Valhalla Embassy to get them here. The transport had been necessary; while Skuld and Belldandy were both almost completely immune to the cold, due to their ten dimensional nature and could have travelled by flying or via brooms, Keiichi would have soon frozen in the blizzard like conditions. And the weather truly was appalling; it may have been early spring in the high artic but it was still bitterly cold and a late blizzard was battering the region, the very sky itself seeming angry at the intrusion of the tiny transport as it whirred through the skies. But then, they seemed to have emerged from the storm…

"Wah?" Skuld said, clearly perplexed. "Where'd all the snow go?" And she was right to be perplexed as she pulled the heavy VTOL to a halt, hovering above the river. Before them lay the city of Archangel, its lights twinkling in the dark as snow whipped through the streets. But around the transport, there was nothing. The wind had died and there was no snow, yet all around, there was an on-going blizzard.

"What's the matter Skuld?" Belldandy asked, entering the cockpit.

"The blizzard's stopped" Skuld said. "I don't get it". She swivelled the transport to face back the way they had just come. "Well there's snow back there". She swivelled back around once more, facing the city once more. "And there's snow over there, but there is nothing around us…" It was then that they both glanced upward and spotted something unusual. "Big Sis, are my eyes playing tricks on me or is there snow falling above us but not reaching us?"

"Hey what's up with the weather?" Keiichi asked, also entering the cockpit and glancing upward. It was then that they heard a voice over the radio.

"Unidentified aircraft, this is the Tempest flight of four off your wing. You have entered restricted Guardian Corp airspace. Squawk ident immediately or you will be fired upon". Keiichi paled but Belldandy simply shook her head while Skuld clicked her mike.

"This is Skuld, I'm here with precious cargo, in preparation for rendezvous with the Isolus. Requesting permission to land aboard you vessel".  
There was a moment of silence before the answer came through.

"Isolus flight command rogers. You are free and clear to land".

"Great" said Skuld and then paused. "Urr… where is it?"

"Proceed one hundred metres to the left and the increase your altitude to twenty-thousand feet. You'll see it". Skuld did as she was told, slowly raising the transport while watching the four orbiting fighters as they circled like a pack of sharks. It was then that they saw the ship. It made sense now. It was also deeply impressive.

"Oh wow" Belldandy said, unable to think of anything better to say. It was Keiichi who spoke next.

"How the Hell did they get an aircraft carrier up here?"

8888

"So what do you think of my baby?" Jago asked as they disembarked from the transport and into the blizzard. Belldandy couldn't help but laugh at Jago; his only concession to the cold was to wear a thick trapper's hat, with long ears that dangled down to be securely fastened beneath the chin. However, determined not to give up his favourite hat too, he had worn his Stetson over the top of the trapper's hat, tying it on with a piece of string, to prevent it being blown away.

"You look ridiculous!" Skuld said, grinning as she shielded her face from the snow and Jago grinned.

"Yeah, I know. Come one, we get you inside, it's nippy out here". He led the way across the ship to one of the control towers on the ship's starboard side. The door to the tower was opened by a grim faced Guardian and they all piled in, entering a large changing room here they could dispense with their winter clothing. "Now you didn't answer my question; what do you think to the Isolus?"

"It's not quite what we were expecting" Belldandy admitted. "When you said an aircraft carrier we-"

"You weren't expecting something the size of the UNS Africa but flying?" They nodded. The Africa had been a mobile sea base, capable of operating a large fleet of aircraft, as well as a full armoured corp. They had used it as a base after the evacuation of Heaven, until they had been able to start decolonisation. That ship had been vast, at more than a mile long and capable of carrying several large transports or heavy bombers. To create something like this which could FLY was nothing short of a marvel of engineering.

"I have to say, I'm impressed" Skuld said. "I didn't think you had the technical know-how to build something like this".

"I don't" admitted Jago. "It was Hervar's design; I needed a ship which could allow the Guardians to project their forces rapidly and in sufficient quantities to deal with any threat that might appear".

"That makes sense" Keiichi said. "But why would you need something like that? YOU can be anywhere in the world in less than an hour so I'm not sure how much good one of these things would be".

"Well I can't be everywhere at once" Jago said. "Besides, the Isolus is just one of a fleet of these ships. We have EIGHT of them, spread across the world. Force projection at its highest level. You can have a Guardian rapid response unit within five minutes, a heavy assault unit ready in less than an hour and with the Isolus and her sisters, we can deploy a full armoured core to anywhere in the world in less than twenty-four hours. He paused and lit a cigarette at which point both Keiichi and Belldandy frowned. "Don't look at me like that" he said with a sigh.

"I thought you quit" Keiichi said accusingly.

"I did" Jago said. "But this is a high stress job. I need something to steady my nerves". He paused and took another drag at the fag. "Right, enough idle chit-chat. The others will soon be here".

8888

In fact, most of them were already here. They entered a conference room, deep in the bowels of the Isolus and were greeted by the sight of the High Council, talking in small groups around the large metal table that occupied the centre of the room. The High Council was composed of two members of each race, with the exception of humans as they had yet to elect anyone, plus a few others from various special interest groups, such as Jago who was there as Paladin. However, this particular meeting was unusual, in that several non-Council members were present. Belldandy, Keiichi and Skuld were one such example; Skuld and Keiichi were advisors and while Belldandy was an Ambassador, she was not a true council member. And there was someone else who was here yet who wasn't a member; Tyr.

"Father?" Belldandy said looking surprised. "What are you doing here?" Tyr turned to see them and excused himself from Lind and Peorth, heading over to them.

"Belldandy, Skuld, it's good to see you". His face was grim and it made Belldandy worried. It was not normal for her father to look so dour.

"But… what are you doing here?" Skuld asked. "You're not a-"

"Jago asked me to come. There's been an… incident. He thought it would be best if I were here to explain the situation". It was then that Jago himself spoke up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, would you all please take your seats. I think it's time to get on". There was a general shuffling of feet and a scraping of chairs as they all took their seats, while Jago waited until everyone was seated before continuing. "Ladies and gentlemen, fellow council members," he paused and glanced at Belldandy's little group, "honoured guests, welcome. Now, I'm not going to waste time with pleasantries or with offers of refreshment. All I can say is I'm glad you made it here on such short notice. I also apologise for Weth's absence; she's busy dealing with an incident on Earth and she couldn't make it to the meeting. Now, I'll cut to the chase". He took a deep breath, pulling of his hat and running a hand through his hair. "Ok, this is what's up; eighteen hours ago, there was an incident on Earth. More specifically, there was an incident on Avalon. We don't know who, why or how it happened but it has; there was an attack in the city of Valhalla itself. A First Class goddess is missing, presumed kidnapped and that's why I called you all together. The goddess in question… is Lady Anzus". There were a pair of gasps from Belldandy and Skuld, at the news that it was THEIR mother who had been taken. "Now, nobody has taken responsibility for the attack and we have found precious little evidence of who was responsible. However, what we are sure of is the Forgotten Army is somehow involved". There was a sudden outburst of whispering as they council members discussed what had just been said.

"Why would the Forgotten Army want our mother?" Skuld whispered to Belldandy. "She's retired now, isn't she?"

"Yes… but…" Belldandy said, her brow knotted in thought but then she just shook her head. "I don't know… perhaps Jago's found something else".

"How can you be sure that it was the Forgotten Army?" somebody asked. "I mean, wouldn't it make more sense if it were the Humanists or demons who did this?"

"Are you accusing us of this attack?" Urd demanded, glaring at the unfortunate Councilmen. "To attack my own mother-in-law?"

"We have not authorized such an action" agreed Hagall, although in rather a calmer voice than her companion. "Besides, if while a goddess on most of the Earth is considered fair game if she happens to run into a demon, the island of Avalon and the city and lands therein are neutral ground; any fighting and we would have the entire Guardian Corp on us in minutes".

"What they say is true" Jago said. "There is no evidence of any kind of demon involvement… and precious little of any other kind of involvement either. However, in the words of Sherlock Holmes; once you have eliminated the impossible, anything that remains, no matter how unlikely, must be the truth. In this case, as the demons aren't involved and the Humanists wouldn't have been able to launch an attack like this-"

"Why not?" another member asked. "The Humanists I mean. Why couldn't they have been involved?"

"It's quite simple really" Jago said. "There are only two ways to Avalon; sea or air and if they had tried to come in via either of those roots then we would have seen them coming. Low-frequency radar you see? Not even a stealth aircraft could have got in without our know how". He took a deep breath and then sighed. "Besides, do you really think that a handful of humans could have defeated a First Class goddess while leaving just a broken window as evidence?" He paused to let that sink in and then glanced around the room. "Now, from what I've been able to work out, the Forgotten Army probably have a Gate in their possession. Don't ask me which one or how, as I simply don't know. What I can tell you however, is that my forces are ready to move on them, as soon as we have located the world they are using as a refuge..." He paused and then looked each of them in the eye. "Now, to do this, I'm going to need the full cooperation of all of you. My Guardians are good but there is only so much we can do and we're stretched pretty thin. So, if there's anything you can do to help me, I would be grateful". There were nods from around the table, even from Hagall and Urd. Sealing or kidnapping an active duty goddess was all part of the daily routine for demons but a retired goddess was effectively off limits. As they no longer posed a direct threat to Hell, they were ignored until the point at which they became a threat once more. Besides, Anzus was well liked in most circles. She had been Heaven's number two for millennia and as such, she had many friends, even in Hell. He then glanced first at Belldandy, then Skuld and then Tyr. "Don't worry, we'll find her and when we do, we'll drag the Forgotten Army out of the shadows, to face the retribution that they have avoid for so long". But then, a voice filled the room; deep, rasping and full of authority.

"Is that so?" the voice said. "And how exactly do you plan on doing that, Lord Twoarchs?" Slowly, a screen rose from the centre of the desk, a picture slowly forming in there. It was a face. The face of a mask, half hidden beneath a dark hood. "Good day, Lords and Ladies. You may call me… Trenzilore commander of the Forgotten Army".

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"For thirty years, my people have hidden away from the world. For thirty years, we have plotted and schemed, waiting for our chance. And now, our time has come".

"What do you want?" Jeiko asked, coming to his feet.

"I? I want nothing more than revenge. Specifically, I want revenge on you, Lord Sukaru… and you Twoarchs. I and my people have been deeply wronged by you pair and as such, you will both suffer…" He paused and ran his eyes disdainfully over the rest of them. "As for the rest of you, the Oracle has yet to decide what is to be done with-" There was a sudden his of gas and a snap and all eyes turned to Jago. He had taken his seat once more and had kicked back, putting his boots on the table and pulling the ring on a beer. He waited a few seconds and took a swig before looking around in mock surprise.

"I'm sorry, did I interrupt you evil monologue?" he asked. He waved a hand dismissively. "Well go on then" he said. Trenzilore simply stared at him.

"Are you mocking me, Twoarchs?" he asked in a flat voice.

"No, I'm listening". He lifted the can and wiggled it a little. "But with beer".

"You were always a pain" Trenzilore said.

"What can I say? I take refuge in audacity". But then Trenzilore grinned under his mask.

"That may be so… but perhaps THIS will bring you to sense!" With that, Trenzilore moved aside, revealing a pair of Forgotten Army soldiers, both former Praetorians in rusting and battered gear, beside a third figure who was knelt on the floor, apparently in a cave of some kind. The kneeling figure was hooded and clearly female, her cloths stained with blood and dirt. Trenzilore then reappeared, crossing to the kneeling figure and with a single, violent tug, he tore off her hood.

"Mother!" Belldandy gasped, for Anzus it was. But only just. Her face was battered and bruised, almost beyond recognition, one eye swollen shut, the lids stuck together with dried blood. Her one good eye glistened with tears as she looked at the camera, almost as if she were trying to send some kind of message to them but one which she was now incapable of speaking; they had pulled all of her teeth, leaving her unable to speak and use any of her spells. Worst of all were her wings. Unlike most goddesses, Anzus had six, permanently exposed, with four on the sides of her head and two which appeared to grow directly from her waist… and all six had been savagely and violently removed. Not so much severed, as more YANKED off. As would be expected, Tyr was furious.

"YOU MONSTER! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HEE?! WHEN I-"

"Come now Tyr" Trenzilore said softly. "We both know that your wife always was the stronger of you two. If she could not defeat me, then what chance do you have?" Tyr glared at Trenzilore, gripping the metal table so hard that he left finger-prints in the toughened steel. Jago meanwhile had set down his beer and stood, glaring up at Trenzilore.

"So I was right, you DID take Anzus" he said. "Well, now it's time for me to give you an ultimatum; return her now or when my guys find you, I'm gonna drag you and all the rest of your foul ilk back here myself and then, after you've had the shit beaten out of you, I'm gonna stick a nail in your skull with my bare hands". Trenzilore simply snorted.

"I'd like to see you try" he said. Then the screen faded, leaving it blank. Silently, Skuld moved around the table until she was stood beside Jago and simply glared at him until he raised an eyebrow.

"WHAT THE HELL?" she suddenly demanded. "YOU STAND THERE, FACING THE MAN WHO HAS TAKEN MY MOTHER AND YOU DRINK _BEER _AND _LAUGH?_" Jago looked at her critically.

"You still have a lot to learn" he said and then turned away, leaving her looking like she might try to murder him, while he addressed the High Council. "Ok, so what did we learn from that?" he asked, speaking in particular to the military advisers.

"They're in Jötunnheim" one of them said, a strapping and powerful dwarf. "The rocks suggested a cave, somewhere in the Western mountains, well away from Jötunn territory".

"They're weapons and armour are in fairly poor condition, probably due to overuse, without the means to maintain them".

"The warriors themselves however… they appear to be in fairly good condition, from what we could be seen of them. No sign of weakness or waste of power". Then Lind spoke up.

"He's not the leader of their group, despite what he says. Whoever this Oracle he mentioned is, they are the brains behind the operation".

"And we have a measure of their leader" agreed Jago. "He knows us and there is a good chance he is someone we've fought before. Someone who thinks we've done him wrong in the past…" He then turned back to Skuld. "That's why I did what I did. I was acting as a distraction while we tried to get an idea of who we were facing. Plus it was a little physiological warfare". Now this confused everyone. "It's quite simple really; I was trying to get his goat. Now if this was two thousand years ago, I would… paint myself blue, dye my hair red and attack him naked. But as I can't do that, I had to improvise. In this case, beer". Then he got serious. "Right, now let's get this organised. We now know for certain that the Forgotten Army has Anzus… and there's a good chance they're planning something flashy for her. I couldn't say what or how but I don't think it will be particularly pleasant. Now, is there anything in particular that I need to know before I send out my forces?" There was a general shaking of heads… except for one. Tyr. The former Almighty One stood, drawing the attention of the others.

"There is one thing… I feel that there may be a deeper motive than simply revenge going on here. If were simply revenge, then why would they target Anzus? It doesn't make sense". He paused and glanced across the table. "You would have to forgive me for saying this but if this was simply revenge orientated, then Lind, Urd, Peorth or one of your children would have been a more likely target". He paused and shook his head. "No, I think what is more likely is that they are planning something BIG… possibly even an invasion of Heaven". Jago shook his head in resignation at this point, as the mutterings began again.

"Joy of joys" Jago said. "So we have that to look forward to".

"But how can that be?" Peorth asked. "The Forgotten Army numbers no more than a few hundred. How can they hope to invade?" Tyr sighed and shook his head.

"All they would have to do is kill Anzus and whoever her successor was and Heaven would be completely without power". Peorth paled but then Tyr shook his head at her. "No, I don't mean you. Not her successor as goddess Aggregate, Principle Representative, I mean her SPIRITUAL successor".

"Now I'm completely lost" someone said. Tyr sighed.

"You are all aware that there are three main classes of angel, each supported by a god, goddess or demon who with the right potential. These, as you know are normal angels, Twins and Archs. However, there is a fourth kind…"

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Back when the Titans had ruled the world, they had created the gods and the demons as servants to their cause. And to support them, they had created the angels, as guides and support. They had created the Twins, angels meant as soldiers, so that if one was lost in battle, their host would not be permanently crippled. They created the Archs, the specialists, meant to perform tasks that were beyond the scope of any normal angel. And to provide them with their power, they had created the Seraph, the six winged angels. The Seraph were created as a means of powering the gods; their strength came from their connection to the Titans, by channelling the Titan's magic and converting it into an energy that was usable by the other races. They were also powerful in their own right, able to siphon the Titan's near limitless power and convert it to their own ends, giving them the power of an Arch in full Prime mode, yet able to perform a multitude of tasks, just like any other angel. However, when the war had come and the lower races had turned against the Titans, the Seraphs had been the first to be targeted, as the Titans had struggled to contain the power of the gods. Finally, just a single Seraph remained but she would not be defeated and after a long and bloody war, the Titans were banished, returning to the darkness from whence they came. It was then that the energy crisis had begun, as cut off as they were from their source of power, they gods had been forced to search for a new source of energy. It was only with the discovery that human emotions could be used as an energy source, via the experimentation of a certain grouchy Nightmare, that the Seraph had been able to come up with a solution to the problem. They had created the contract system, allowing energy to be harvested from humans and with the help of the Seraph herself, the dual systems of Yggdrasil and Nidhogg, as a means of energy storage and to regulate the usage of these contracts. But there was still something missing, for neither deity nor demon could survive on pure human energy. And so, the Seraph had changed her very nature, becoming the conduit via which energy stored in the two great systems could be freely distributed to all of the other beings. However, fearing the return of the Titans and the likelihood of them targeting her, the Seraph had hidden herself, until such a time as she had passed away. It had been a time of great grieving but it was soon discovered that when this last Seraph died, a new one was created, as her replacement and to continue her work in supporting the world. So it had continued, with each new Seraph becoming apparent not long after the death of the last, ultimately culminating in this latest one; Lady Anzus. She was the third of her line.

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"And so… you're saying that Anzus is in fact the most powerful goddess going, being the conduit between… humans and Yggdrasil?" Jago asked.

"Not quite" Tyr said. "Yggdrasil and deities. And yes, she is immensely powerful, far beyond my own strength… or even that of Lind". He glanced across at his daughter who shrugged at this and continued. "In fact, she was probably almost as strong as your Hades from Lord Paladin". Jago paused to think about this. Hades, also known as the Ragnarök Protocol, was his weapon of last resort; a combination of both his Opal-essences, as well as both of his Archs. If Anzus was truly that powerful…

"Hang on a moment" Jago said. "If she's so powerful, then how was it that she was captured without some kind of epic battle?"

"Being as powerful as she is, her powers were severely limited, to the level of a standard First Class goddess".

"Right" Jago said. "And you didn't think to tell me just how important Anzus was to us as a whole, back when we first realised that she was missing?"

"It didn't seem relevant at the time… not until we could be sure that the Forgotten Army had actually taken her. Now however…"

"If I could just ask a question…" This was Peorth. "What will happen if we can't get her back?"

"You mean if she's killed?" Tyr asked and Peorth nodded. "If we can't recover her, then we lose our connection to Yggdrasil, at least until we can locate the next Seraph… the fourth".

"That's not good" someone said but Lind shook her head.

"It'll be alright for a while; we have enough stored energy for a while, at least until the new Seraph is located".

"But what if we don't find her?" Skuld asked, looking worried.

"If we don't find her… all of the angels will die" Tyr said. "Even the Archs".

"Well that's not good" Jago said. "What do you mean all of them? Archs are self-sustaining".

"But they need at least a little Yggdrasil energy to survive. No, if we lose Anzus and we can't find the new Seraph fairly soon, then we will all be dead". Tyr paused and glanced across at Urd and Hagall. "Demons too; devils require energy to be transferred from the Nidhogg system in much the same way that angels require energy from Yggdrasil. No, if we don't have a Seraph-"

"Then we'd better bloody get one" Jago said and then turned to the Council at large. "Right, let's not dally about here. It's best if we can recover Anzus and that is where I shall be focussing the majority of my efforts, if we are all in agreement". There was a chorus of nods. "Good. However," he gave Belldandy and Skuld a sad look, "even with all of our efforts, it is unlikely that we will be able to recover her. As such, I would like you two to put together a team, in case we need to start searching for the new one. I know it's not ideal but…"

"We will do our best" Belldandy said simply.

"Thank you". He then turned back to the group. "Now, I know this is going to be difficult and YOU know I can't do this alone. I need as much help as you can provide. Now I have Ghosthawks and AWAKS planes at the ready and I've put the Guardians on high alert. Do I have permission to precede with a search and rescue mission… or failing that, seek and destroy".

"We're with you Paladin" Jeiko said and the others nodded.

"As much as it pains me to work with an Earth spirit" Hagall said, giving Jeiko an evil look, "particularly THIS one, I believe that Urd and I will back you in this venture".

"You better believe that we will" Urd said.

"And you will always have Heaven's backing" Lind said, accompanied by Peorth's nod of approval.

"What about the rest of you? Do I have a free hand here?"

"To within acceptable limits" High Lord Buda, chief of the Earth spirits said. "We'd prefer not to have an entire world destroyed. However, if you do manage to locate Anzus…"

"Don't worry, I won't go full cowboy. I still king of Jötunnheim, even if it is only technically. Now-" He didn't finish his sentence. Instead he started to cough, long and hard. One of the Councillors moved to help him but he waved him down. After a few minutes, he managed to stop, his eyes watering and he managed to speak in a raspy voice. "Sorry, the damn viruses don't care if I'm immortal or not; they're still trying to off me". He paused and took a deep breath. "Right, you all know the plan then. Gather whoever you can and I'll have my transports collect them as soon as I'm ready to launch this operation. But I think we're all agreed, in that we can't allow anyone outside this room to know what's going on here, apart from the soldiers involved of course. If this heats up, then we're all in deep shit… especially if the Humanists somehow find out". Nods. "Very well. Now if you would please excuse me, I will be back shortly". Jago turned and quickly beat his retreat, heading out of one of the various doors that entered into the room.

"Ok, could I ask a question?" Urd asked. "Why is it that this Trenzilore person sounded familiar? I mean, I didn't know the voice but the WAY he said those things…"

"I know what you mean" Keiichi said, speaking for the first time since the meeting began. "I know I've heard him somewhere before".

"Well that's a mystery for another time" Jeiko said, folding his arms, his face knotted with concern. "Did anyone else manage to perform a bio-scan on Jago?" There were a few nods. "And?"

"Probably the same as you. He's in a bad way". They all turned to look at Lind, she being the one Jago was most likely to have confided in… but she was gone. She had slipped out unnoticed, shortly after Jago had. She needed to hear it directly from him.

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Jago had his own quarters on board the Isolus. It was obvious really. He had designed and built the ship after all. And that is where he headed, using the back passages and little used shafts to reach it undisturbed. And once there, he went straight to the bathroom, coughing thick blood into the sink. It was several minutes before he could breathe comfortably again, at which point he straightened himself and pulled off his shirt, now stained with blood too and tossed it aside.

"It's very rude t just stand there and watch a man cough his lungs out" he said dryly to Lind who had managed to follow him without much trouble.

"Well what was I supposed to do?" she asked, glaring at him from the doorway. "You dismissed yourself with a palmful of blood. What did you honestly expect me to do?" She paused and sighed, shaking her head. "It's not a virus is it?" she said.

"No" Jago admitted.

"May I?" Lind asked, crossing to him and holding out her hand. He nodded and she placed a hand on his battered chest, performing a full bio-scan. "My god!" she whispered softly.

"Yep, I'm in a right state. My lungs are fucked". Lind stopped the scan, shaking her head.

"My god Jago, why haven't you had them seen to?"

"I tried. Started as just a cough that wouldn't go away, I didn't think anything of it. But then I realised that I was getting worse, not better and I so I had the girls do a scan on my lungs… and it turns out I had cancer. By then though, it was too late".

"What do you mean too late?" Lind asked, raising a hand. "I could fix those things in-"

"Don't you dare!" Jago said. "You'll kill me, just trying to remove them!" Lind looked confused.

"What?"

"You think I haven't tried to get rid of these things? I can't". He paused and led her back into the bedroom. It was full of cheap but sturdy furniture, nothing flashy but all of it built to last. He took a seat and then turned back to her, gesturing for her to do the same. "It's quite simple really. If I were any other person, I would just have them tumours removed… but because it's me, I can't".

"I don't understand".

"Look, the only spell strong enough to get rid of them is a Full Body Repair spell. Nothing else is powerful enough to remove such large tumours… I should know, I've tried. Even so, a normal person would have no problem with surviving a spell like that. But me?" He paused and looked directly at Lind. "My problem is, I still have malaria. And you know what would happen if I tried to get rid of that". Lind nodded, knowing full well what had happened last time. He had picked up malaria while in Africa, years before and while he kept it under control with quinine tablets, it was impossible to remove with magic, as it had been mutated via contact with a Yggdrasil bug, meaning that while it could be managed, trying to remove the disease completely would involve forcefully removing the parasites from Jago's red blood cells… a process which would rupture the infected cells, killing him through internal bleeding. However, up until now, this hadn't been a problem. So long as he kept taking the tablets, he was fine. But with these tumours…

"Surely there must be something that can be done?" Lind asked. "I know magic won't work but what about human medicine?"

"What human medicine?" Jago said dismissively. "You know as well as I do that since you lot made yourself public, human medicine has been pretty much abandoned. Who needs it, when we have goddesses, willing to zap away even the nastiest of sicknesses, with a snap of their fingers? There's been almost no research into cancer drugs, no new kinds of radiotherapy or chemo. And surgery is out too; those suckers are so big, the only way to get rid of them is to actually remove my lungs and give me a transplant… and nobody donates anymore".

"So you're completely fucked, aren't you?"

"Pretty much". Lind sighed.

"How long have you got?" Jago shrugged.

"Maybe… a year? Eighteen months tops".

"And when exactly were you planning on telling me?" He shrugged again.

"I wasn't". He shook his head at Lind's frown. "Don't give me that" he said. "What was I supposed to say? Just pop in during one of my irregular visits and go; "hey Lind, guess what? I'm dying! Here's my will, so find me a gravestone!" Lind couldn't help but chuckle at this dark humour but then they both became serious once more.

"So what's the plan now?" Lind asked.

"Pretty much what I always do; keep going until eventually my lungs give out. Until then, I haven't got time to die". Lind shook her head at him.

"You really are an inglorious bastard, aren't you Jago Finch? Nil illegitimus carborundum?"

"Oh, the bastards keep trying to grind me down… but I just end up sharper". They both grinned and then Jago paused, thinking of something. "I was just wondering, is Temmy still looking for a job?" Lind nodded. "Well that's good… I've just thought of a way she can help me out. Now we'd better get back, they're gonna be wondering where we've gone".

Are you sure you're still up for this?" Lind asked. "They probably all know that there's something wrong with you now. Heck, half of them probably did bio-scans on you as soon as you started coughing".

"Yeah I'm up for it. They were probably gonna find out soon enough… besides, I ain't got time to die".

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Yukio smiled sweetly as she made her way back to the Yggdrasil Wish-granting Centre, humming softly to herself. It had been a good day for her; with Peorth and the Almighty One attending a High Council meeting, the afternoon's wish-list had been suspended, giving the young wish-granter a rare afternoon of peace. Looking at her, it was clear that she was one of Belldandy and Keiichi's children, being the eldest of their triplets and the only girl of the bunch. She was almost as old as Temeraire, being nearly thirty but to look at her, she resembled a fourteen year old, with long, silvery blonde hair. However, she had her father's deep chestnut eyes and while she wore a blue, white and gold robe, she carried a three foot long spanner beneath her cloak, as well as a number of other tools stored in various holsters and pockets. And while she had the inverted tear-drop shape on her forehead of a goddess, as well as an angel in her soul, half of her blood was that of a human. She, like her cousins and close friends, was a half-breed. A hybrid. But unlike many of the others, she had been accepted by the other goddesses and had recently been accepted as a full wish-granter, allowing her to spend time not only in Heaven but also on Earth. She enjoyed her job and always strove to bring happiness to those who summoned her. However, it saddened her whenever she had to journey into the Humanist realms, seeing all of the chaos and destruction that existed therein and forced to be accompanied by a Valkyrie, for her own protection. Still, it could be worse. She smiled and waved to a few goddesses as she passed them, heading back to the Wish-granting Centre, looking forward to meeting whoever her next client was. However, as she re-entered the airy, brightly lit room, she saw she had a pair of unexpected visitors.

"Kitara! Temeraire! It's good to see you!" Then she stopped, a horrified look on her face as the Valkyrie Trainees turned to face her… and she saw what had happened to Temeraire's hair. "Temmy! What happened to you?!" Temmy looked confused for a second but then she realised what she was talking about and ran a hand through her ravaged hair. Her fringe was still fairly long and hung down over one eye but everywhere else, it had been hacked short by her assailants, leaving her looking extremely bedraggled. She smiled sheepishly at Yukio.

"I had an argument with a tangle-bush" she said. "I-"

"Don't lie to her Temmy" Kitara said. "Tell her what really happened". Temeraire sighed and then nodded.

"I got into a fight with some of the other Valkyries and they cut it" she said simply. Yukio looked shocked, putting a hand to her mouth.

"My god! And you didn't report them?"

"I didn't need to" Temeraire said sadly. "My grandmother showed up and exiled them to Antarctica". Yukio paused and then nodded.

"I see" she said. "Who started it?"

"I did" Temeraire said.

"They did" Kitara said. "You've gotta stop protecting them Temmy. They did bad and were punished for it. They were in the wrong, not you". Yukio and Kitara both shook their heads at the elder goddess.

"I think I understand why you're trying to take the blame though" said Yukio, taking a seat. "You're trying to protect what little popularity you have left, right?" Temmy nodded.

"Well I am supposed to be the next Almighty One, if ever my mum retires. I could do with some support".

"Well you've got us, for what it's worth" Kitara said. Yukio smiled in agreement.

"She has a point; three half-breeds, bound together". The three friends chuckled and then fell silent, each wrapped in their own thoughts.

"So Yukio" Temmy said, finally breaking the silence. "Any interesting contracts?"

"Mostly the usual stuff" Yukio said, waving her hand dismissively. "Health, wealth or happiness. Although the ones in the Humanist zones tend to be interesting. They're always the most surprised when I show up". It was then that Kitara laughed.

"Hey, remember that time I was assigned as your escort to one of the Humanist camps and that guy just flatly refused to accept the wish?" Yukio face-palmed and shook her head.

"Oh, don't remind me!" she said, shaking her head. "If you don't mind me saying, that guy was a complete and utter arse-head!"

"But it was funny as Hell!" Kitara said, giggling with mirth.

"What happened?" Temeraire asked.

"Don't do it" Yukio said but Kitara ignored her.

"Oh, you should have seen it! She was like "noble sir, I have come to grant your heart's desire" and he was like "be gone, false god! I do not believe in you!" but she just kept pushing and in the end, he told her to go fuck herself and she was like "excuse me? Did you call my phone? Did you wake me up? Did you bring me here? And all of a sudden, you're walking out on me? I don't think so, not right now! You're getting your wish, now SIT DOWN!" I swear, that guy jumped ten foot in the air!" Kitara and Temmy both rocked with laughter as Yukio folded her arms and glared at them.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up" she said, a note of resignation in her voice.

"And I thought you wish-granters were supposed to be kind, gentle and sweet!" Temmy said, holding her sides. She took a few deep breaths as Kitara leaned against her for support. "So what did he wish for in the end?" she managed to ask and Yukio blushed, looking away.

"He wanted… fresh trousers!" Kitara said, still chuckleing. "You see, she scared him so much, he shat himself!" Yukio blushed even deeper red, as both Kitara and Temmy started laughing again.

"Are you sure she's related to Belldandy?" Temeraire finally managed to ask. "With a temper like that…" It was then that Yukio's angel appeared. Blond and snowy skinned, her name was Blessed Harp, yet her beautiful face was lined with indignation and she flipped them off, blowing a raspberry as she did so.

"Oh cheer up!" Kitara said, wiping the tears of mirth from her eyes. "We don't mean any harm". Blessed Harp frowned but slowly retracted her Mistress and then Yukio smiled.

"Alright, I guess I'll let you off this time". She paused and chuckled. "Besides, it was pretty funny". They all chuckled a little and then sighed.

"So, have you heard anything from your brothers recently?" Temmy asked. Yukio nodded,

"Yeah, they're still on their global trip, visiting all kinds of places. Last I heard their base had docked in Manila. It's all the usual stuff; sun, girls and motor oil". They all chuckled as they thought about what Yukio's brothers were doing. When Belldandy had had triplets, it had been an odd combination; Yukio had been the first and the only girl. The other two had been a set of identical twins, both miniature versions of their father but far more fun loving and thrill seeking. Rather than signing up to some permanent job within Heaven, they had instead decided to take a few years out to explore the world, working as engineers aboard the various nomad cities that were becoming so popular. Hailed as the solution to the world's space problems, especially in the face of rising sea levels, many coastal cities were being abandoned in favour of large, floating cities that roamed the seas, guided by gigantic solar sails that converted sunlight and sea water into electricity via sunlight. Each city was a fully independent edifice, able to support itself for years at a time without docking. However, they would often meet up with other cities in order to trade and swap news and stories, as well as workers, as skilled engineers and craftsmen were in short supply on the high seas. This was where Yukio's brothers came in, selling their skills as master engineers and mechanics to whoever needed them. It was a hard life but they enjoyed it, as was evident from the post cards they would send whenever they docked in at a new port or sapped to another ship for a while.

"So when will we see them again?" Kitara asked.

"Well they said that after Manila, they were heading to Anchorage in Alaska and then they were going to try and barter passage aboard a city heading for Japan so they could see our parents. They said that if they managed it, they would be sure to let us know so that we could all go down for a visit". The other two chuckled, knowing what these reunions could be like but then they were interrupted as a voice came through the intercom system.

"_Could Temeraire and Kitara please make their way to the_ _Almighty One's office? Lady Lind wishes to speak with you". _The young Valkyries sighed and then both shrugged at Yukio.

"Sorry, mums calling" Temeraire said and Yukio shrugged.

"Don't worry. You two go, you don't want to keep her waiting. Besides, if Lind's back then that means that Peorth is and-" At that moment, her phone rang. "Right on cue" she said. "You girls go. I'll see you later, ok?" Temmy and Kitara both nodded and turned to leave as Yukio picked up her phone. Time to fulfil another wish.

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Temeraire and Kitara were confused when they saw who was in Lind's office when they got there, apart from Lind herself of course.

"Dad?" Temeraire said, looking confused but then she realised where she was and dropped to her knees, thumping her shoulder with her fist, as Kitara did the same. "Lady Almighty One, Lord Paladin, you summoned us?"

"It's still dad" Jago said. "And before you say anything, I have special permission from the High Council to be here. Anyway, you're right; we wanted to speak to the pair of you".

"That's right" Lind said from behind her desk, steepleing her fingers. "Now let me explain; there has been an incident on Earth. Most specifically, there was an attack on a First Class goddess, well outside the Humanist zones". Temmy and Kitara glanced at each other, not sure what to say. "As such, Jago and I are putting together a task force to go after the perpetrators… and because of this, we need the help of you two". Temmy's heart filled with joy. Could this mean that they were finally letting her back on missions again? Had they finally decided to forgive her for the Copenhagen incident?

"What do you need from us?" Kitara asked, bowing her head slightly.

"We need you two to perform a low level support mission, in support of the operation" Lind said. Temmy thought she would explode with joy. A real mission! It was probably only going to be a small one but…

"Thank you my Lady!" she said breathlessly. "I am sure that Kitara and I will be more than up for the task! So what is our mission?"

"It's quite simple really" Jago said. "Protection of high value personnel. That would be the fancy way of putting it". And then he gave an impish grin. "What we need you to do… is babysit Bob's boy".

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Kitara got along just fine with Bob. He had been friends with both Peorth and Urd and as such, he was fond of Kitara. However, his relationship with his niece Temeraire was strained, ever since the Copenhagen incident. It was because of her that he had lost Chrono. Following the lifting of the Valkyrie's need for celibacy towards the end of the Kronos war, Chrono and Jago's younger brother had become lovers, staying together even after the end of hostilities. And with Jago confined to Earth for much of the time, they had formed Heaven's new combat duo, with her taking command of Heaven's goddess Auxiliaries, the combat trained, non-Valkyrie reserves, while Bob had taken command of the new human Auxiliaries, a band of good souls who had volunteered to help to protect Heaven with the latest of military gear, as well as with brute force if necessary. And from this relationship, Bob and Chrono had had a son, a single child, whom they had named Steven. And they had been happy. But Chrono still had other responsibilities, including the training of new Valkyries. She had taken Temeraire as an Apprentice and had trained her until she was as good a Valkyrie as any other. However, it had come to the day of their first mission and during it, the defence of Copenhagen, Temeraire had managed to get Chrono killed. And this had left Bob, heartbroken and angry, alone to raise their year old baby. And while he tried to forgive her, he had never truly managed it. But now, he would have to at least try.

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"Ok, so you two know what to do" Jago said. "Keep an eye on little Steve and make sure he doesn't get into any mischief. Food in the fridge, emergency number by the phone. Don't do anything stupid. Any questions?"

"Yeah… why do I have to be here?" Kitara asked as she glanced across at Temmy as she struggled to hold onto the wriggling, gurgling infant.

"Because Bob wanted someone he could trust to be here too".

"Well thanks for the vote of confidence" Temmy said, trying to avoid a chubby finger as it sort to insert itself up her nose. Jago sighed.

"Look, you wanted a mission didn't you? Right now, this is about as good as I can give you". He paused and shook his head at their frowns. "I know this isn't a perfect situation but Bob is in command of Heaven's Auxiliaries and as I'm about to go after what could be the biggest nasty since Deaderuss himself, I need all the help I can get. Now I know that two Valkyrie Trainees is probably a bit extreme but…" The girls continued to glare at him so he paused for a second, thinking. "Look, tell you what; if you two can do a good job here, then I'll see about getting you a proper combat mission the next chance I get, ok?"

"Alright" Temmy said. "But you owe us big time dad!" Jago nodded.

"No worries. Now, I've gotta go, chopper's waiting. Just don't do anything stupid". With that, he turned and exited Bob's house, ducking his head against the rain.

"You think they'll be ok?" Bob asked as he ducked out of the doorway and joined him. Jago glanced at his brother, nodding his head cautiously. Jago might have been the elder brother but Bob hadn't received his immortality until just after Chrono had died, meaning that he looked his age; about fourty-five now, his long hair tinted grey and his face lined with wrinkles. However, he was now taller Jago, topping him by a good four inches, while still being beanpole thin. He still couldn't pronounce "Rs" though, instead they all came out as "Ws".

"They'll be fine. Kitara is more than capable of looking after a baby".

"What about Temmy?" Jago paused and Bob sighed at him. "Look, I have nothing against her, I really don't but… well, you know how I feel about her. Now I'm not saying that the Copenhagen thing was her fault but-"

"No Copenhagen was her fault" Jago said. "But she's gotten better since then; she's stronger, not so sure of herself. She knows that she fucked up and she wants to atone for that. I thought that this would be a good way to start". Bob frowned.

"But are you sure that they can be trusted? I mean, that's my son they have in there. If anything were to happen to him…"

"Don't worry" Jago said. "They're gonna be fine. Nobody would have any interest in attacking them and even if they tried, this is Avalon. The first sign of trouble and we can have Ghosthawk here in less than five minutes… Valkyries sooner".

"I hope your right…" Bob said and then he shook himself. "So what's the plan?"

"Simple really; search and destroy".

"I thought it was search and rescue?"

"Same thing".

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Temmy sighed as she watched out the window as the Ghosthawk descended through the rain, touching down to collect Jago and Bob and then taking off once more.

"Well I guess it's just us then" she said as Kitara set her hands on her chin, watching Steve as he tried to chew a Duplo block, even though he didn't have any teeth yet.

"This is stupid!" Kitara said. "He's your cousin! Why do I have to be here?"

"Because if you weren't here then my uncle would never have let me stay and watch him. Look, I know it's not ideal but if we ever want to go on missions-"

"You mean if YOU ever want to go on mission. I'm combat certified". Temmy took a seat beside her friend and nodded.

"Alright, if I ever want to go on missions, then I gotta show my dad that he can trust me… and I guess having someone who is combat certified on hand could be useful". They both paused and glanced at Steve as he rolled onto his back and looked up at them, gurgling happily.

"If you weren't such a good friend, in such a sticky situation, then I would have told your mum to stuff it, Almighty One or not".

"Thanks" Temmy said.

"Besides" Kitara said, smiling at Steve as he grinned up at her "he is pretty cute".

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It was several hours later. The rain which had started just before Jago and Bob had left had grown into another of Avalon's legendary storms, lashing the island with hurricane force winds. Steve had crawled into a corner and curled up, dropping off and snoring a little. Kitara was in the living room watching TV while Temmy was in the kitchen working on some steak she'd found in the freezer. She might have had her mother's looks but she certainly hadn't inherited Lind's cooking skills… or rather, lack of them. The only time Lind had tried to cook at the temple, it had resulted in an enormous and extremely carnivorous spaghetti monster that had gone on the rampage through the temple grounds. It had taken three days of solid eating to get rid of the blasted thing and after that, Lind had been permanently banned from the kitchen. Temmy however, had managed to inherit her father's cooking skills, so while her food was never knock your socks off good, it was certainly filling and generally tasted fairly good. It was then that the lights went out.

"What the?" Temmy said, emerging from the kitchen with an apron around her front and a glowing sphere of light in her palm.

"Must be the storm" Kitara said, holding a light sphere in her own palm. "I wouldn't be surprised if one of the power lines has gone down".

"I'm not so sure" Temmy said, glancing out the window. "If the power's gone down, why are there still lights on out there?" It was true. Bob's house was some distance from Valhalla but you could see the city from the windows. The lights of the city seemed to be working just fine. However, it was then that they heard a whine. Startled awake by the sudden darkness, little Steve had started to cry. "Oh, hush, hush, hush" Temmy said, stooping and picking up the infant, cradling him in her arms. "It's ok, it's ok. It's just-" Then every window in the house exploded.

*1 This is a REAL place. It's a city on the arctic coast of Russia, on the same latitude the Hudson Straight in Canada.

**Authors Note: Hey guys! Sorry this update took so long! It's been a hectic week for me; I started this chapter almost as soon as I had finished the last one but after two days, I realised what I had written was CRAP so I got rid of it and started again. After that, it was the first two days back at university and as you might guess, it's hard to justify hiding away and writing when you have a bunch of freshman to sort out. Anyway, I'm back now and… well, what can I say. Jago's dying, we have a new kind of angel and I've got some other good stuff planned for later. Hope you can keep up!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 6**

**Attack on Avalon**

Temmy screamed and covered Steve as the glass shards rained down around her, bouncing off the thick leather of her Valkyrie combats.

"OH SHIT!" Kitara shouted as she covered her face to protect it from the shards. It was then that they came; the soldiers of the Forgotten Army. They wore their cloaks across their faces to hide them and carried weapons in their hands as they came bursting in. Kitara summoned her mighty weapon; a massive monster of a hammer, with a twenty pound head, that ended with a foot long , armour piercing spike on one side. She swung her hammer in both hands, striking the nearest enemy in the chest and sending her back through the window from which she had emerged. "RUN!" she shouted as more soldiers started pouring in and so Temeraire did, sprinting towards the kitchen. She was too late however as a pair of Forgotten Army soldiers were already there. Luckily, this house had gas… Without thinking, she grasped the pan of bubbling fat she had planned to use to cook the steaks and hurled it at her enemies. It struck the leader soldier in the face, coating her in the scolding oil. She screamed and fell away, clawing at her face as the oil soaked through her face mask and burned away the skin of her face. In the split second this gave her, Temmy reached under the wings of her combats and dragged her khukuri free, unable to use her halberd in such a confided space, especially when carrying her cousin in one arm. The other Forgotten Army solider charged forward, slicing with both her sword and a wickedly curved knife. Temmy blocked the first attack and then the other and then swung one hand forward, wrapping one of her uniform's decorative shoulder wings around her enemies wrist and using it to yank her forward and onto the blade oh her khukuri. Steve wailed as the soldier's warm blood splashed across his face, while Temmy looked in horror, into the eyes of her enemy as the life slowly faded from her face… but the young Valkyrie had no time to contemplate this. She had to keep moving. She grasped her heavy knife in her hand and set off at a run, haring around the corner and out, into the back corridor, bouncing off the walls as she went. She turned the corner and went up the stairs, still running. But as she turned the corner at the top of the stairs, she ran face first into another three soldiers.

"Get her!" one of them shouted but Temeraire was ready for them.

"CONCUSIVE BLAST!" she shouted and dropped to one knee, sending the blast down the corridor, catching all three of the Forgotten Army soldiers and sending them whirling down the corridor, crashing through the back wall and out into the rain. With that, Temmy ducked into one of the rooms and slammed the door shut behind her. With that, she sank to the ground, letting her khukuri clink against the floor. With that, she looked down at her cousin and grimaced at him. He was crying and covered in the blood of the woman who she had just killed. Gingerly, she reached up and unclipped on of the decorative wings from her shoulder and used it to wipe the blood from the babies face, muttering soothingly to him as she did so. "It's alright… it's alright" she said softly as her little cousin continued fussing. All the while, she listened to the sounds of fighting from below… as they slowly faded away. She shook her head sadly. She knew that Kitara had been defeated. She-

"LET ME IN!" Temmy leapt to her feet and unlocked the door, opening it and her friend came busting in, gasping for breath. She collapsed against the wall, clasping her hand to her side as blood seeped form between her fingers.

"MY GOD! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!" Temeraire asked, while Kitara nodded.

"I'm fine" she said through gritted teeth, as she laid down her hammer. Beside her, her angel appeared, her face a mask of concern as she laid both hands on her Mistress's side, lending her her power to heal her wound. "Is Steve ok?" she asked and Temmy nodded.

"He's fine" she said softly. "A little shaken up but ok. How about you, are you ok?"

"She'll be fine" Mere Wolf said. "Did you get any of those bastards?" Temeraire nodded.

"I definitely killed one and hurt at least three more. You?"

"Five KIA" Kitara said as she glanced down at her side. "Now would you look at that? Blood's an absolute bitch to get out!" Then she paused. "Did you see how many there were?"

"No time" Temmy admitted. "I was too busy running".

"I counted twenty" Mere Wolf said. "Plus maybe a few more outside".

"So if we got nine of them…" Temeraire said.

"Well we're still screwed" Kitara said and then gasped as her angel pushed a little too hard on her injured side. "DAMN IT! BE CAREFUL!" Mere Wolf shook her head and snorted. "So what do we do? Is there a phone in here?"

"I doubt it. Besides, the number's downstairs. If we were to try and get it and call my dad then we'll be killed for sure!" But it was then that they heard the second most welcome sound in the world. It was deep and rumbling, cutting through the sound of the storm. The sound of a pair of approaching Ghosthawks.

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As soon as the power went off at Bob's house, the Guardians were dispatched. They had been given specific instructions that if ANYTHING suspicious was detected, they were to send a combat-recon force, just in case. As such, as soon as they had detected the power outage, two full teams of ten Guardians each, had boarded a pair waiting Ghosthawks and had taken off into the driving rain.

"Ok command, this is Howler One-Zero. We're two minutes out".

"_Roger that"_ the ground controller said.

"So what do you think's going on down there?" one of the Guardians, a truculent dwarf, asked.

"Probably just a blown fuse" a former Niflguard said with a faint look of displeasure. "Not exactly what I signed up to the Guardian's for; to baby sit the Paladin's girl and her friend while he's off chasing down some bastard from another world".

"Quiet that up!" the commander said. "We know our orders; the slightest sign of trouble and we're to scramble in. It's probably nothing but I'd rather not risk the Paladin's wrath if we were to ignore it and then it turns out that it WAS something". There were several second of silence before the pilot's voice crackled over the intercom.

"Sixty seconds out. Let's go green". The Guardians didn't reply, simply reached up and activated the night-vision sights that were built into the face-plates of their helmets, filling their vision with a green and black version of the world.

"_Howler One-Zero, this is Two-Zero, we are approaching the target area" _the pilot of the other helicopter said. "_So far it looks ok. No sign of any- No wait"_. There was a sudden feeling of tension inside the helicopter. "_One-Zero, are you seeing what I'm seeing?"_

"Roger that Two-Zero" said the pilot. "Looks like we have people out there. I count three… no, four warm bodies. Human sized… SHIT!" The pilot swivelled in his seat to shout back to the crew directly. "WE HAVE HOSTILES! LET'S GET TACTICAL SOLDIERS!" There were a series of hisses, clicks and whirs as weapons were drawn and guns loaded. While the former Valkyries and Niflguard tended to rely on their weapons, many of the other races couldn't keep up with them in a straight fight most of them carried power gauss rifles; magnet powered guns that fired high density tungsten slugs, with enough punch to take out a first class being, even if they were using their true form. The only downside to the weapons was the need to charge them before firing a new magazine, so while the rifles were charged, the doors of each chopper slid sideways and a pair of old fashioned mini-guns were deployed, one on each side of the chopper, ready to provide fire support while the troops disembarked. They never got a chance to use them.

_"LOOK OUT!" _came the shout over the radio as a fire ball arched upward from the ground, heading straight for the lead helicopter. It struck Howler Two-Zero just below the main rotor, ripping through the transmission and gearbox and blowing the spinning blade clear of the top of the aircraft. "_MAYDAY! MAYDAY! ZERO-TWO IS GOING DOWN!" _ came the panicked voice over the radio as his powerless helicopter almost vertically towards the ground, while the second Ghosthawk banked sharply and dived, trying to get out of the line of fire. With a sickening crash, Zero-Two slammed into the ground, its tail rotor shattering as it struck a tree and the tail severing, causing the fuselage to roll, toppling over and over itself until it landed in a burning heap, the occupants most likely dead.

"Command, we have a Ghosthawk down! I repeat, we have a Ghosthawk down!" the pilot shouted. "We're under fire and taking evasive action! We need-" He was cut off as a second fireball shot upward, striking the second gunship at the base of the tail. The blast flipped the gunship over onto its back, as the tail separated from the main body, spinning off in the a random direction as the chopper crashed down on its roof, shattering its rotor and sending chunks whirring away into the darkness. And that was the end of that rescue…

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Temmy and Kitara looked out in despair as the two Guardian Corp helicopters went tumbling down in burning heaps, crashing into the forest with flashes of light and flame.

"Well there goes our rescue" Mere Wolf said. "So now what?"

"I guess we hold out as long as we can" Kitara said, rolling back onto her feet with a grunt of effort, grasping her hammer with one hand.

"You can't fight like that" Temmy said, still holding Steve in her arm, as she grasped her khukuri in her spare hand. "You got messed up pretty bad".

"Look, you and Steve are far more important than we are" Kitara said. "If Mere Wolf and I can hold them off for a few minutes, then you two can make a break for it and run to the city. If you can get to the Guardians, you'll be safe and…" The look on Temeraire's face silenced her. There was no way that she was going to abandon her friend, even with the Forgotten Army banging at the door. It was then that they heard the voice.

"GIRLS! COME ON OUT!"

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The soldiers of the Forgotten Army moved through Bob's shattered home, breaking things, overturning furniture, searching.

"As expected, nothing of value!" one of them spat as she kicked over a bookcase, searching through the contents.

"You know we didn't come here to steal… at least, nothing of that nature" came a voice and all of the soldiers turned in fright as a dark figure filled the open doorway.

"Lord Trenzilore!" one of them gasped and each of the Forgotten Army soldiers in turn fell to her knees and bowed her head in respect as their masked leader entered the room.

"So how goes it?" he demanded. "Have you succeeded in capturing the infant and his two protectors?" There was silence for a second. "Well? Have you?"

"Not yet" one of the soldiers ventured, raising her head slightly. "They fled upstairs when-" But then the Oracle appeared, the guide of the entire Forgotten Army, unmasking herself from the camouflage spell and with a hand, causing the soldier to gasp in agony as her body began to contort in an unnatural way… until her bones shattered, the bloody shards sticking out clear from the rents in her skin. The unfortunate soldier collapsed, screaming, as the Oracle turned to the others in the room who cringed in fear.

"Why haven't you captured them?" she demanded, glaring down at them, her eyes glowing in the faint light of the storm as she turned to face the reaming soldiers who cowered back .

"They are fast and strong" one of the others said, dipping her head ever lower to avoid the Oracle's gaze. "They killed four of our number and wounded another four before we could react. They are far stronger than we expected and…" She quailed under the Oracle's gaze. "Please my Lady! We know where they are; they-"

"SILENCE" the Oracle hissed and then she shook her head. "These soldiers are pathetic" she said, turning to Trenzilore. "The mighty Praetorians, unable even to capture a pair of barely trained first-year Valkyries".

"Patience my love" Trenzilore said. "We will find them, we will take them and when we do, we will have a force that not even the Paladin himself will be able to counteract". It was then, from outside the window, that the sound of explosions came. Trenzilore turned rapidly to see the first of the Guardian Corp helicopters go down, crashing down with a blaze of glory. "I see that the rescue party has arrived" he sneered as the second Ghosthawk was struck but then her frowned. "We had better hurry".

"Yes" agreed the Oracle. "We must find them before the Guardian ground forces show up". With that, she faded out, disappearing completely from view as Trenzilore turned to face the staircase that led up to the floor that Temmy and Kitara were hiding on.

"GIRLS! COME ON OUT!" he boomed, filling the room with his voice. No reply came. "GIRLS! THERE'S NO POINT IN HIDING! WE _WILL_ FIND YOU, SO I SUGGEST THAT YOU COME OUT NOW, BEFORE YOU MAKE THINGS WORSE FOR YOURSELVES!" There were several more moments of silence before a voice drifted down from the upper floor.

"You're gonna kill us anyway!" Temmy shouted back. "I can't see it getting any worse than that!"

"KILL YOU?" Trenzilore asked, starting to move forward. As he did so, he nodded at the remaining soldiers who began to creep stealthily up the stairs, with their leader slowly following. "WHY WOULD I WANT TO KILL YOU? YOU TWO ARE FAR TOO VALUABLE. YOU AND THAT BABY. NOW, WE WANT YOU ALIVE. IN WHAT CONDITION WHILE ALIVE THOUGH… WELL THAT'S UP TO YOU".

"Why would you want us alive?" Temmy asked as the stealthily moving soldiers reached the landing and began moving towards the room where the voice was coming from. "Surely we're more of a threat alive than dead?" Trenzilore smiled and lowered his voice, layering on the sugar.

"Come now girls, you need not fear us. We of the Forgotten Army simply want to right a wrong that was done unto us thirty years ago. With Deaderuss on the throne of the Almighty One, the world will be sure to enter a new era of peace and prosperity, far beyond anything that Lind and Jago have achieved. And with your help, this could become a reality! Think about it; a world where every being is equal, with the exception of those gutless humans. We could-"

"We would rather die than help you!" Temeraire said.

"Oh don't be boring!" Trenzilore said with a sigh. "Everyone who says that dies!" Then he paused, stopping just outside the door that the voice was coming from. "You now Temeraire, I know about your little problem. Deaderuss had the same; neither of you can support an angel. But perhaps together, with my help and with the restoration of Deaderuss from your father's keeping then-"

"Jog on!" Temeraire shouted back. "You think you can bribe me with that shit? I'm insulted! If you want us then you'll have to come and get us!" Trenzilore grunted as he reached the door that the voice was coming from and then turned to one of the soldiers, jerking his head at it. The former Praetorian nodded and slunk forward, crouching just before the door, her hand hovering just above the handle.

"Girls, this is your last warning!" Trenzilore said. "Either you come on out or we come in after you!" There was a moment of silence before Temeraire replied.

"What do they call you?" she asked tentatively.

"They call me High Lord Trenzilore" he replied.

"Well I have one thing for you to say; GO FUCK YOURSELF!" she shouted.

"Very well" Trenzilore murmured and he nodded. She placed her hand on the door handle and with a shout, she threw the door open… and was instantly eviscerated as the nail bomb the girls had planted detonated, filling the corridor with shrapnel.

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"Who the Hell is that?" Kitara asked as Trenzilore called out to them.

"Probably their leader" Temmy said and then paused. "I've got an idea; take Steve". Kitara nodded and took the baby as Temmy began to mutter a spell, while Trenzilore continued shouting from downstairs.

"GIRLS! THERE'S NO POINT IN HIDING! WE WILL FIND YOU, SO I SUGGEST THAT YOU COME OUT NOW, BEFORE YOU MAKE THINGS WORSE FOR YOURSELVES!"

"Oh nails of cold iron, raise yourselves!" Temeraire whispered. "Release yourself from the timber that binds us and prepare to come to our aid!" With that, every nail in the room slowly rose from the floor, forming a swirling ball of glittering steel. "Now across the corridor to the other room!" Temeraire whispered and Kitara nodded, withdrawing Mere Wolf so that the angel's light didn't give away her presence. It was then that Temeraire called back down to Trenzilore. "You're gonna kill us anyway! I can't see it getting any worse than that!" she said and slowly crept after her friend shutting the door to the room she had just left and leaving the still magically bound nails hovering there at chest height.

"So what are you planning?" Kitara asked as they snuck into the next room and listened as the Forgotten Army soldiers started to climb the stairs.

"KILL YOU?" Trenzilore said. WHY WOULD I WANT TO KILL YOU? YOU TWO ARE FAR TOO VALUABLE. YOU AND THAT BABY. NOW, WE WANT YOU ALIVE. IN WHAT CONDITION WHILE ALIVE THOUGH… WELL THAT'S UP TO YOU".

"Now watch this" Temmy said Kitara as the first of the enemy soldiers came into view around the crack of the door. "I've been practicing throwing my voice. Catching it is still a problem but…" She then turned back to the door and called out, projecting her voice so it sounded like it was coming from the other room. "Why would you want us alive? Surely we're more of a threat alive than dead?" It was then that Trenzilore himself came into view. He wore a worn and battered cape of dark grey-brown oilskin and his face was covered by a mask. It was a simple mask; made of wood and painted white, with a few red marks across the cheeks for decoration. But from behind it, his eyes shone, twinkling grey in the faint light.

"Come now girls, you need not fear us. We of the Forgotten Army simply want to right a wrong that was done unto us thirty years ago. With Deaderuss on the throne of the Almighty One, the world will be sure to enter a new era of peace and prosperity, far beyond anything that Lind and Jago have achieved. And with your help, this could become a reality! Think about it; a world where every being is equal, with the exception of those gutless humans. We could-"

"We would rather die than help you!" Temeraire said and Kitara nodded.

"Oh don't be boring!" Trenzilore said with a sigh. "Everyone who says that dies!" Then he paused, stopping just outside the door that the voice was coming from. "You now Temeraire, I know about your little problem. Deaderuss had the same; neither of you can support an angel. But perhaps together, with my help and with the restoration of Deaderuss from your father's keeping then-"

"Jog on!" Temeraire shouted back. "You think you can bribe me with that shit? I'm insulted! If you want us then you'll have to come and get us!" With that, Trenzilore grunted and nodded at one of his soldiers who nodded back, positioning herself to open the door to the abandoned room. "Ok" Temmy whispered. "As soon as that door opens, we run. We can make a jump for it from the upstairs window and land on the roof of the woodshed. From there, it's a straight shot and into the woods". Kitara nodded and gripped her hammer tightly, praying that Steve didn't make a noise. He gave a little whimper but nothing more as Trenzilore turned back to face the door.

"Girls, this is your last warning!" Trenzilore said. "Either you come on out or we come in after you!" There was a moment of silence before Temeraire replied, curious as to who this masked being was.

"What do they call you?" she asked tentatively.

"They call me High Lord Trenzilore" he replied.

"Well I have one thing for you to say; GO FUCK YOURSELF!" she shouted.

"Very well" Trenzilore murmured and he nodded. With that, the soldier slammed her hand down on the handle of the door and shot in… just as Temmy released the pent up pressure in her ball of nails and sent them sailing through the door way and shrieking through the walls, killing and wounding her enemies.

"AYO VALKYRIE!" she screamed and with that, she charged forward, summoning her halberd and swiped aside a bleeding soldier as Kitara followed her. They shrieked past the stunned soldiers and down the corridor, to the shattered window that overlooked the woodshed. Not bothering to check the route was clear, Temmy leapt first, leaping through the shattered pane, slicing her thigh on a ragged piece of broken glass, landed on the room of the wood shed with a grunt, rolled, dropped to the floor, scrambled to her feet, slipped in the thick mud churned up by the storm, pushed herself up once more, leaning heavily on the haft of her halberd and then stood and turned as Kitara landed beside her. "You alright?" she asked and Kitara nodded as she sheltered the wailing Steve from the rain.

"I'm good" she said but then glanced down at her friend's leg. "What about you? That leg looks pretty bad". Temeraire looked down at her ripped and bloodied trousers.

"I'm fine" she said and then nodded in the direction of the woods. "Come on! Let's go!" With that, They both took off, heading towards the trees and the city beyond. If they could just meet up with the Guardian Corp fighters who would surely be on the way. They just- Kitara screamed.

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Temeraire turned back to see her friend go down, shrieking in pain.

"KITARA!" she screamed and raced back towards her, tossing aside her halberd and catching Steve before he hit the ground and then spun to face whatever was attacking her friend. It was Trenzilore. How did he…? She thought but didn't bother to finish that thought. She just had to them get out of here.

"Release her!" she shouted back to Trenzilore, drawing her khukuri and charging towards the horrifying man before her.

"NO! DON'T!" screamed Kitara, even as her friend raced towards Trenzilore… but then the Oracle appeared. And it was then that Temeraire's face turned to horror as she realised that she recognised the woman's face. It was a face she knew well. She had seen it on the day of her birth. But this face was on a different woman. A face of cruelty and malice. And then she too went down, screaming as she felt her blood being torn from its veins. All she could do was twist her body to the side so that when she fell, Steve fell on top of her, softening the impact for him.

"Did you really think you could escape us?" the Oracle asked as she leaned close to her prey, her eyes gleaming wickedly. "You're just like your father; always jumping into things without considering the consequences. But you picked the wrong fight this time girl… you tried to fight someone who has mastery of Blood Control, as you should have realised from your friend". And both Temeraire's eyes and those of the Oracle swivelled around to look at Kitara as the young Valkyrie collapsed onto her back, writhing in the thick mud, now stained with both her friend's and her own blood. Beside her, Mere Wolf lay helpless, unable to move either, for all her strength as a Fighting Archangel.

"But now, it is time for us to finish what we came for" Trenzilore said as he approached the two fallen soldiers.

"What are you going to do?" Temeraire asked, her eyes rolling in their sockets as she tried to look at the approaching warrior.

"Well that's simple" the Oracle whispered, leaning close to her and brushing her hair away from her ear, as the surviving group of the Forgotten Army's soldiers approached them. "Now, we plan to use you to defeat the Paladin… for I shall take your mind!" And then the Oracle placed her hand on Temeraire's head, hacking into her mind… no, into her very soul. The last thing she saw before she blacked out was the sight of Trenzilore approaching Kitara, his own hand outstretched... and then there was darkness. And a gunshot.

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Both Trenzilore and the Oracle turned as they heard on of the gunshot and one of the Forgotten Army soldiers went down, spraying blood.

"This was a very foolish move" Jago said as he twitched the barrel of his enormous pistol aside, aiming for Trenzilore now. His cloths were battered and bloodied and his hat look singed but above all, the Paladin look ANGRY.

"Twoarchs!" Trenzilore hissed. "How… when…?"

"I got back as soon as I head that something had happened at the house. We were on the first gunship when it went down".

"We?" Trenzilore asked and then he felt the blade being pressed into his back.

"Yes" hissed Bob, his eyes burning with rage. "WE!" If it was possible for someone in a mask to pale, then that would have happened as Trenzilore realised his predicament; he had threatened the children of three of the children of some of the most powerful warriors in the world… and now, two of them were here. And they were heavily armed.

"I didn't expect to see YOU here" Jago said as he switched his aim to the Oracle. "I thought you were banished". The Oracle rose to her feet, glaring at him.

"You mean YOU banished me!" she hissed. "You forced me to leave HIM and…" But without bothering to finish, the Oracle launched herself, sideways, grasping Trenzilore by the shoulder and they both disappeared in a flash of light. Jago fired his revolver, aiming at them but the shot came too late and the twenty mil slug whizzed harmlessly though the air. With that, the remain soldiers of the Forgotten Army jumped to, trying to fight or to escape. Jago charged forward, dropping two soldiers with a pair of rapid fire shots as he reached under his jacket and drew his sword. He had once used a mighty claymore but it had been broken during his last battle with Deaderuss and so, now he used a newer, more versatile weapon; a 1796 pattern heavy cavalry sabre. It was a cruel and crude weapon; thirty-five inches of hardened, single edge steel, more a sharpened club than a true duelling blade but in the hands of someone as strong as Jago, it was a perfect weapon. But it was Bob who was the real nightmare here. After the death of Chrono, he had gone into a blind rage, unlocking one of his Opal-essence. It had taken all of Jago's combined strength to force the beast back inside, his brother's Opal-essence known as Orion. And so together, they fell upon their foes. You do not mess with the father wolf.

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Temeraire woke to find someone shaking her.

"Temmy? Temmy? Are you alright?" Slowly she opened her eyes and then screamed, looking up into the face of… but no, it was Lamb. "Oh, Lamb! It's you!" she said and she wrapped her arms around her father's angel, pulling her close. "Thank god! The Oracle-"

"I know. I saw her" she said and she helped the girl to sit up, sheltering her from the rain with her wings.

"Is she…?"

"I'll explain later" Lamb said and then she turned slightly as Jago came into view.

"How is she?" he asked, crouching down beside the pair. He looked worn and tired but he smiled at them both.

"I'm fine" Temeraire said, rubbing her head with her hand. "So what the Hell happened?"

"Don't you remember?" Jago asked and his daughter shook her head.

"All I can remember is… we were attacked… but I can't remember-" Then her brain suddenly stuttered to halt. "Oh shit! WHERE'S STEVE!?" she asked, trying to get up but Lamb held her in place, effortlessly keeping her in place with a single hand on her shoulder.

"Steven is fine" she said. "In fact, we all are". It was then that Temeraire realised that they weren't actually alone. In fact, they were surrounded. Guardians, Valkyries, Niflguard; all had been dispatched as soon as word of the attack had come to light. In fact, the reason that they could see at all was because the Guardians had arrived a squad of "Pink Panthers", heavily modified combat Land Rovers, equipped with heavy machine guns and spot lights, which were now being used to illuminate the area.

"Then where is he? And where's Kitara? And Mere Wolf? Where are they?"

"Steven's with his father" Lamb said. "As for your friend and her angel, they're both being treated for their injuries".

"As you should be" Damascus said. "You cut yourself pretty badly jumping out of the window. Now sit still so I can fix you up". Temeraire nodded as the devil knelt beside her, placing a hand on her bloodied thigh, as Lamb continued to shelter them from the rain with her wings.

"So what the Hell happened?" Temeraire asked and then gasped as the devil slipped one of her claws into the deep gash on her leg, gently using it to remove the muck and dirt from the wound. "Watch it!" she hissed.

"Watch your mouth" the devil said, not bothering to look up. "I may be a devil and a woman but I'm still technically part of your father so I won't take any shit from you. Now shut up and hold still". Temeraire nodded and then turned back to Jago and Lamb.

"So what DID happen?"

"You three were attacked by the Forgotten Army; at least twenty of them, as well as their leader, a particularly nasty bastard called Trenzilore. When we got here, it looked like they were trying some kind of mind control shit on you" Jago said. "You and Kitara both. Why, I don't know but I can probably assume that it wasn't for anything good". He paused as Damascus finished sealing Temeraire's wound and then held out his hand. "But I have to admit, you two did good. You took out ten of their soldiers before they took you down with Blood Control. I have to admit, that was pretty good stuff. They were all former Praetorians and even with thirty years of hiding, they're still tougher than most high level Valkyries. I have to say; I'm impressed".

"Thanks" she said as he helped her to her feet. "So did you and Bob get them all?"

"Most of them" Jago said. "In fact, Bob was so angry, I had to drag him away from them". He turned and gestured to a few surviving soldiers who had been forced to kneel before one of the Pinkies, their hands bound behind their heads. "But we're not gonna get anything out of them. Before I could capture them, they all bit their tongues off. Still, at least we got most of them".

"Most of them?" Lamb shrugged.

"A few of them made it into the woods. They're being tracked down now".

"As for you, you and Kitara are going back to Heaven for now. It's not safe for you two to be on the surface… not until we figure out exactly what's going on". Jago then gestured upward, to an approaching helicopter which had begun to slowly descend towards them.

"So what happens now?" Temeraire ask.

"Well, Weth and I are gonna pull an all-nighter and try and track down their survivors. As for you? You're going hope to a hot shower and a warm meal. You've done more than enough tonight". Temeraire nodded and then turned away as the Ghosthawk touched down, filling the forest with the wash from its rotors.

"So when will I see you again?" she asked.

"Soon, hopefully. I'll be by in a few days to check on you and to report to your mother on what we found. Till then, you keep your nose clean". Temeraire nodded and was about to turn away again when Jago smiled to her. "Oh and one more thing; good job lass".

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Bob was sat silently on the step of his shattered home, cradling his infant son in his arms when Jago approached. The baby was cold but Bob had wrapped him in a clean sheet and had him sheltered under the wing of his coat. He waived a tiny fist in the air in red faced rage as his father rocked him slowly crooning softly.

"How is he?" Jago asked, hunkering down beside them and tipping his hat back so that the rain dripped down onto his back, not onto little Steve.

"He's fine" Bob said quietly and then he looked up at Jago, tears in his eyes. "I nearly lost him tonight. If it hadn't been for Kitara and Temeraire…"

"But you didn't. The girls did good".

"Yeah. I was wrong about Temmy; I'm sorry. I never meant-"

"Bob, you're my brother, don't worry about it. If you want to apologise to anyone, you can do so to her, the next time you see her". Bob nodded as Jago paused, looking down at his little nephew. "So what's your plan?"

"Well I can't stay here" Bob said, jerking his head towards the door. "My house is totalled. Besides; it's not exactly a secure location". Jago nodded and tapped his chin.

"You wanna stay at the Guardian base? We have spare rooms which we keep for the on duty officers. You can have one of those if you want". But Bob just shook his head.

"No, I'd better get back up to Heaven. As soon as you've sorted things out down here, I want to be back into the action. After what Trenzilore did-"

"I can't let you do that" Jago said. "Not right away. You have your son to look after. No, if you're going to Heaven then I'll speak to Lind and find someone to take over the Auxiliaries, at least for a few days. You're in-"

"Jago" Bob said slowly. "I could have lost my son tonight. I want to get back at the bastard who did this!"

"Bob, I'm your brother, I'm five years your senior and I almost DID lose my daughter. I can tell you, I'm in no fit state to be going after Trenzilore and if I'm not then neither are you".

"Well I don't have lung cancer". Jago shook his head.

"Who told you?"

"One of the Councillors. I can't say who but they thought I had better know".

"Who else knows?" Jago asked and Bob shrugged.

"A few other I think. I took the liberty of ensuring that it was kept as close to the chest as possible. We all know what would happen if it became common knowledge that you were dying". Jago nodded and then stood.

"You've got a point. Now, I can't order you to do anything but I'm _suggesting_ that you take a few days off before you help me go after Trenzilore and his ilk. Ok?" Bob nodded slowly.

"I'll think about it" he said and then Jago turned as Kitara and Temeraire's helicopter took off, beating its way back towards the city of Valhalla. It was then that he saw Lamb approach, still using her wings as an umbrella.

"Hey Master, Weth's here. She wants to talk to you". Jago nodded and tipped his hat to his little brother.

"I'll see you later, Little Man" he said and turned away, heading back out into the rain. Bob simply nodded after him and then ran a calloused finger down the side of his son's face. He had been wrong about Temeraire. She had done her duty. And for all the wrong she had done by him and Chrono, he was thankful to his little niece.

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"Hey Weth" Jago said, tipping his hat to her. "So what's up? I heard that you needed to talk to me?" Weth nodded, the hood of her cape flopping in the rain.

"Yeah, I did. By the way, I'm sorry I was late Jago; we got here as soon as we could". Jago shrugged.

"It's alright" he said. "At least you're here now". He paused and nodded at the captured soldiers. "So what's gonna happen to them? They can't talk any more".

"We'll try a mind hack on them to determine what they know. However, I have my doubts about how much we can learn from them". She paused and then glanced sidelong at Lamb, who was busy conversing with a group of Guardians. "So is it true? Was SHE here?" Jago nodded.

"Yeah, she was here. Lamb's hiding it pretty good but she's pretty shaken up. Still, at least it's worked out alright, even if she and Trenzilore escaped". It was then that Weth shook her head.

"That's what I needed to talk to you about; there was another attack at the same time as this one".

"Where?" Jago asked with a sigh.

"Buggerup".

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Jago touched down just outside the perimeter that he had created around his house. It wasn't usually for security; he was powerful enough deal with any attack foolish enough to be launched against him and he kept little of value in the place. The main reason as to keep away tourists and weirdoes who were constantly bothering him for things. Being the Paladin was no game and certainly not for the shy. However, today as he landed, couching with the exertion of having to fly under his own power, he unlimbered his heavy revolver, snapping it open to check the chamber and reload as slowly, he retracted his wings back inside himself. His wings, like his angels, were mismatched; one purple and bat like, the other white and feathered, as he used one from each of his girls, as he had the same amount of respect and love for them both and so, tried to share the load between them.

"I hate flying" he muttered to himself as he lit a cigarette with his thumb, using his Stetson to keep the rain off.

"Well maybe you should practice more" Lamb said as she fully emerged from his back, fanning her left wing with vigour.

"Yeah, maybe if you did, you wouldn't give us wing-cramps when we landed!" Damascus said, fanning her right. "You know how painful it is to have unused muscles try and support two and a half times your normal weight, one winged?"

"Are you saying I'm heavy?" Jago asked, grinning around the fag at her and she shrugged.

"Well yeah! Master, I weigh… about ninety pounds and Lamb? I'd say a hundred and fifty?" Lamb glared at her and folded her arms.

"A hundred and fourty" she said and Damascus snorted.

"Is that with or without the fun-bags?" she said, pointing at Lamb's chest. The angel went red with indignation before Jago sighed and glanced from one to the other.

"Come on girls" he said and snapped his gun closed with a very final snap. "We've got bigger problems than each other". The Archs both paused and nodded sheepishly as the trio slowly made their way towards the house. It was as they passed under a tree that a light flashed form up ahead and a high-pitched whirring filled the air.

"Is that one of the sentry turrets?" Damascus asked as they continued forward and then they had spotted it, high in a tree before them. It was indeed one of their sentry turrets, a mini-gun that whirred as the barrels span, preparing to spit down a wall of tracer fire on them. But the fire never same and as Lamb drifted up to the gun, in order to deactivate it, Jago's foot clinked against a pile of spent shell casings.

"Looks like it fire off its whole magazine… I hope it hurt whoever it was it was firing at". The same was true for all of the guns. They had a number of defence turrets set up around the perimeter of the house as anyone determined enough to get past the non-lethal defences was probably a hostile but now, each turret appeared to have used its entire magazine, ten-thousand rounds each. Whoever tried to get passed them, before Lamb deactivated them must have been extremely determined… or bulletproof. There first real source of worry though was when they came to the moat. Someone had attacked the crocodiles. There were two of them visible; one floating belly up in the moat, its belly split open and one dragged out on the shore. It lay there, its mouth and eyes closed, a large knife sticking from the top of its skull. Whoever had done this must have been incredibly powerful as these weren't pets; these were twenty foot long super-predators. But the attackers had also suffered, if the evidence was to be believed, as Lamb stooped cautiously at the water's edge, grasping something and pulling it from the water.

"Here you go!" she said, tossing it to Damascus. "'Armless!" Damascus caught it and then gasped, dropping it. It was an arm.

"That's horrible!" she said.

"Well at least the crocs did their job" Lamb said as she stood up once more. "Looks like at least one of those bastards got what was coming to them". It was then that the surface of the water erupted and she shot backwards, using her wings to boost her out of range of the crocodile's attack.

"Well I see that Gustav survived" Jago said, nodding as the huge reptile disappeared back below the surface. Gustav was the biggest crocodile in the area; a twenty-three foot behemoth, with a mouth full of teeth and a bad attitude. If anything could have survived an attack by Forgotten Army soldiers, then it would have been Gustav.

"He still wants to eat me though!" Lamb said as she touched down on the far side of the moat, waiting until Jago and Damascus made their own way across.

"Well it's your fault for being so sweet and tender" Damascus said, earning her a glare from Lamb and a disapproving grimace from Jago.

"What is with you tonight?" he asked.

"Sorry" Damascus said. "I guess I'm in kind of an antagonistic mood". Jago shook his head and then turned away. It was time to get serious. They were approaching the house.

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The door had been kicked in when they arrived, shattering the lock in the process. Jago led the way inside, his revolver heavy revolver held before him. It was unlikely that they would encounter anything, as the Forgotten Army were probably long since gone. Still, it paid to be cautious. Damascus was in the middle, providing light via a glowing orb in her palm, while charging a powerful spell with the other, while Lamb brought up the rear, cracking her neck in readiness.

"Ok, I'll check downstairs. You two check the top floor. But be careful. They may have left traps". The pair nodded and departed, heading silently up the stairs as Jago slowly made his way through the lower levels. In fact, HE almost walked into a trap. As he advance cautiously, his leg caught on something and he tripped, almost falling. He caught himself and then realised just how lucky he was; hovering just before himself was a taught piece of thin wire. In fact, as he looked, he realised that the entire corridor was filled with the stuff. If he had in fact fallen or had hit them at any speed, then he would have been sliced to pieces. "Be careful girls" he shouted. "They've strung cheese wire across the corridors. You could cut yourselves to ribbons". With that, he reached into his pocket and felt around until he located what he was looking for, carefully removing a pair of wire-cutters which he used to delicately snip through the thin filaments. He then continued onward, entering the living room. It was wrecked. Pillows and throws had been heaved across the room, the chairs had been overturned, the curtains pulled down, the table smashed. He shook his head and then went into the kitchen where it was pretty much the same story; broken plates crockery and glass covered the floor, alongside piles of scattered cutlery. It was then that he heard the scream. Lamb. Without a second thought, he turned and bounded back down the corridor, heading up the stairs at break neck speed. He burst into Lamb's room, his gun in one hand and his khukuri in the other. "LAMB!" he shouted, ready for a fight but then paused. Lamb was sat on the bed, with Damascus holding her tight, weeping openly and biting her knuckle. Like the rooms downstairs, Lamb's had been overturned, but it was something that lay on the bed that seemed have upset her. An empty box, lined with tissue paper. "What is it?" Jago asked. "What's wrong?"

"They took her!" Lamb moaned. "They took her!" Jago gave Damascus a confused look, to which, the devil simply shrugged.

"Took who? What's missing Lamb?" Jago asked, holstering both weapons and placing a hand on each of Lamb's shoulders. "Lamb, look at me. WHAT did they take?" And Lamb let out a deep sob, wrapping herself around him.

"They took her Master!" she whispered. "They took my baby!" Jago looked confused.

"Baby? Wha-"

"My baby Master! They took her! They took my egg!"

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Trenzilore gasped as he and the Oracle stepped into the Jötunnheim.

"I wish you wouldn't do that" he said. "It can't be good for my heart".

"Oh boohoo" the Oracle said. "I got you out of there didn't I? And you weren't shot".

"We failed though. We failed to capture the prisoners we need".

"It matters not" the Oracle said. "We will just switch to Plan B". And Trenzilore nodded.

"Yes. It will be risky… but we have the advantage". And he reached into his cloak, pulling forth a tiny white oval. "Besides, we have the egg now. I would never have thought that Lamb would be the one to bear it".

"Is it really that much of a surprise? I hate to admit it but she is the most powerful angel in existence… short of Anzus's girl of course. But now, we have her daughter. And we shall turn her against them".

**Authors Note: Uh oh, so what are Trenzilore and the Oracle planning? Why did they take Lamb's egg? And what's going to happen next? Stay tuned! **


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 7**

**Executed**

Lamb stood before Lind's desk, her head hanging low. Jago was close behind her, his face grim and his arms folded across his chest. They were here because a discovery had been made. Heaven had checked every angel's egg in the inventory, scanning each individually to check to see whether it contained an unborn Seraph. But there were none. Not a single one. And this caused some confusion. Ever since there Seraphs had been creation, there had always been at least one egg that contained a Seraph, so they could not understand why there wasn't one now. But then they realised it; there was one egg unaccounted for. Lamb's. And now, they knew exactly where it was. The unborn Seraph was in the hands of the Forgotten Army. Lind was less than pleased… She sat quietly at her desk, her eyes closed, casually squeezing her stress ball as she considered what she had just discovered.

"And why exactly didn't you turn this egg in?" she asked, her voice almost pleasant, if not for the vague threat of what might happen if Lamb tried to lie to her.

"I-I don't know" Lamb said. "I've always done so in the past. It's just…"

"Well?" Lind asked, cracking her eyes open a fraction, exposing the golden glow, the only sign of how truly angry she really was.

"Well… there was something about this egg. I-I-I just didn't want to give it up". Lamb's head sunk lower and tears came to her eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. I didn't understand my own feelings towards it… I mean, it was just an egg. It would never have hatched. It wasn't until I realised that it was gone that I made the connection; I must have been feeling protective as this was the unborn Seraph. I don't quite know how I knew this but I must have, subconsciously perhaps, which is why I sort to keep it a secret. But now… I've failed". Her wings sagged, almost to the floor, making her look even more sad and dishevelled. "I am… truly sorry". There were several second of silence, except for the sound of Lind squeezing the ball a few times as she glared at Lamb.

"You're sorry?" she asked softly. Lamb raised her head very slightly and nodded. "You're… sorry?" Lind chuckled softly to herself and shook her head. And then she exploded. "YOU'RE DAMN SORRY?! BECAUSE OF YOU, THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT WE'VE LOST THE NEXT SERAPH! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL SOMEONE? ANYONE!" Lamb's head sunk low again and she began to cry openly.

"I'm sorry" she said. "I never thought... never believed-"

"YOU'RE THE MOST POWERFUL ANGEL IN ALL OF EXISTANCE, SHORT OF ANZUS'S GIRL! WHO ELSE WOULD HAVE A DAMN SERAPH EGG?"

"But-"

"NO BUTS!" Lind rose from her desk and stormed around it, coming to stand, glaring directly at Lamb. "YOU'VE ROYALLY SCREWED US OVER! BECAUSE OF YOU, TRENZILORE NOT ONLY HAS THE CURRENT SERAPH BUT OUR FUTURE ONE AS WELL! AND IF WE LOSE THEM, YOU KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN!" Lamb nodded.

"Yes… all angels will die".

"EXACTLY!" Lind said, a note of triumph in her voice. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT LAMB! BECAUSE OF YOU, WE COULD ALL BE FACING EXTINCTION! IT'S BECAUSE OF YOUR SELFISH ACTIONS THAT-"

"ENOUGH!" Both women jumped as Jago's voice boomed through the room. He then took a step forward, putting himself between Lamb and Lind, glaring down at his wife. "THAT'S GOING FAR ENOUGH! YES, LAMB FUCKED UP! BUT THIS WASN'T HER FAULT!"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN "IT WASN'T HER FAULT?" Lind demanded, glaring up at him, the mole-hill facing down the mountain. She may be seven inches shorter than him but she burned with righteous fury, while he glared at her, his own fury cold and calculating.

"I MEAN" he said, "IT'S NOT HER FAULT! SHE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE EGG WAS A SERAPH; SHE TOLD YOU THAT!"

"BUT SHE'S STILL ROYALLY SCREWED US!" Lind snarled to which Jago huffed.

"OH YEAH? COOL MINT ROYALLY SCREWED ME OVER! REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE INSIDE MY HEAD AND SHE ALTERED THE PAST MY INTERFERING WITH MY MEMORIES?" Lind jerked her head aside, unable to meet his gaze.

"That's different" she said.

"DIFFERENT! IN WHAT WAY WAS IT DIFFERENT?" Jago demanded. "SHE WAS JUST AS FOOLISH AND SELFISH AS LAMB WAS!" It was true. During the hunt for dragon Gandamak, following his release from Ginnungagap by Deaderuss, they had travelled into the wastes of Jötunnheim. Upon confronting the beast, Jago had unleashed Papa Jupiter in an effort to defeat the impossibly strong monster. However, this done, Jupiter had kidnapped Jago's ID or consciousness, the bit of him that was in control most of the time. In order to rescue him, Lind, the Mint Sisters, Damascus and Lamb had travelled into his mind, with the assistance of the recently released Opal-essence, Brother Pluto. Once there, they had leapt from memory to memory as they travelled deep into Jago's mind. It should have been simple; straight in and out. However, Cool Mint had interfered with a memory, attempting to eat a slice of cake and as a result, she had become visible to Jago's past selves and forever altering his past. It had worked out in the end as it turned out, it was a temporal causality loop, with Cool Mint causing event's in Jago's past that eventually lead to him meeting Lamb and through her, Lind and Cool Mint. However, it had not been a pleasant experience and it had left them all scarred. It was then that Damascus appeared, gently tapping Jago on the shoulder.

"Err… Master? Can I say something?" Jago turned and glared at her, making her gulped but she persevered. "Well, if I could put my five-penny worth in here, Lamb isn't the only one to blame". She straightened herself but lowered her head slightly, not daring to meet the gaze of either her Master or of Lind. "Lamb did tell one person about the egg; I knew about it. To be fair, I didn't twig to its nature either, not until after it was missing". She paused to clear her throat and licked her lips nervously. "I mean, I thought it was a little strange that Lamb would be so protective over an egg but I never thought… never dreamed… that it would be the Seraph". She hung her head low, shaking it sadly. "I'm sorry too. But if you are going to punish Lamb, then it is only right that I take it as well". Lind glanced at Jago who shrugged.

"This is new to me. I didn't even know the egg existed until I found out it was missing". With that, Lind turned to Lamb, who was still crying in shame.

"Is this true?" she demanded and Lamb nodded. Lind sighed and her eyes shifted back from gold to blue. "Well if that's the case, then I can't exactly pin the blame on you". She turned back around and headed back behind her desk, slowly massaging her temples. "I'm sorry" she said. "It's been… well, you know". Jago nodded simply, still glaring at her but then he paused and cracked a grin.

"Did we just have our first argument as a married couple?" he asked with a chuckle. Lind paused, wrinkling her brow and then… she chuckled too.

"We did didn't we".

"I guess we're not doing too badly, considering you're married to a fifty year old collection of bad habits, marinated in Tabaco smoke and alcohol".

"And considering that you're married to a hundred-million year old ex-Valkyrie, with anger management issues and stress problems". They both chuckled but then they fell into silence, thinking carefully. "So, I suppose I can't really do anything. You need Lamb and while it is technically Lamb's fault that this happened, what's done is done and there's no point in trying to blame her for what she did. Now though, what should we do?" Jago paused and scratched his chin, thinking hard.

"Well, it's pretty clear that I'm going to have to increase the number of patrols going after them. We need that egg".

"Yes" agreed Lind. "In the meantime, I'll continue the search for a suitable host for her. With luck, we won't need her but know how things are going at the moment…" Jago nodded.

"Have you tried your Belldandy's kids? They're Anzus's closest relatives, aside her own daughters". Lind shook her head.

"No good" she said. "All three of them already have their angels. But it's not like there are that many other young deities, who don't have angels yet. It'll probably be one of Peorth's kids so I'll start there".

"Well in the meantime, I'll see about getting Anzus and the egg back. So long as we find them soon, we should be fine, right?" Lind nodded and then thought of something, reaching across her desk and picking up a piece of paper.

"On that note, there was something I need to speak to you about". She glanced up at him, raising an eyebrow. "It appears that Temeraire and her friend acquitted themselves well against the Forgotten Army. Four hostiles KIA, five injured and captured, although we can't get any information out of them, with their tongues severed and with Level One Mind Shields… I have to say, I'm impressed". And then she glanced at Jago, raising an eyebrow. "Especially since you said that this was supposed to be a non-combat operation". Jago shrugged and reached inside his jacket for a cigarette.

"It was… but things happen". Lind grimaced as he lit it.

"Are you sure you want to be doing that? With your lungs-"

"I have twelve months… maybe eighteen on the outside. What's five minutes either way?" Lind shook her head and frowned.

"Well, whatever. As for Temeraire, I'm going to approve her a place in the Deity Games, when they start ina week. She deserves it".

"That sounds fair" Jago said. "What events has she signed up for?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Lind asked. "Test of Strength, Test of Courage-"

"They finally got around to fixing the mirror I broke?" Jago asked and Lind nodded.

"Yes. As to her final event, it's a doozy. She wants One-on-One duels". Jago nearly swallowed his cigarette in surprise.

"Are you serious? Does she know who she's up against?"

"She knows. She just doesn't care".

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Jago sighed and shook his head as he and his Archs rounded the corner from Lind's office, out of sight of the Valkyrie guards.

"Lamb, what am I going to do with you?" he asked. Lamb lowered her head, still looking depressed.

"I'm sorry Master" she said. "I-"

"Now isn't the time to feel all sorry and down on yourself" Jago said. "Yeah, you fucked up but right now, I need you in fighting condition. Can you do that for me?" Lamb raised her head and smiled weakly to him.

"Yes Master" she said.

"That's my soldier" Jago said and he chuckled. But his chuckle quickly devolved into a cough and before, he was retching blood once more.

"Good god Master!" Lamb said. "You're lungs are worse than I thought!"

"Why did you think I came out?" Damascus said. "If he had kept shouting like that, then he would have done even more damage to them. But as it is and if you don't mind me saying Master, I don't think you can keep this up much longer".

"Nonsense" Jago said. "I've gotta keep going until I'm dead. Besides, we need to get the Pucelle active and then we need to get to Jötunnheim. I think we need to have a word with Gandamak. He must have notice the unusual Gate activity that's been going on". That was indeed odd. During the attacks on Avalon, they had discovered just before and after the incidents, there had been an unusual amount of Gate activity, which was strange because at the time of said attacks, all known gates had been accounted for. This could only mean that the Forgotten Army had somehow captured and corrupted a Gate. It wasn't that much of a surprise. Jago had two of his own secret Gates that he used to get into Heaven unofficially, although they were both accounted for. But the fact that there were Gates in use and Gandamak hadn't reported them was troubling. Perhaps the dragon was simply becoming complacent… or perhaps something more sinister was at work. There was just one problem.

"But Master… going into Jötunnheim will almost certainly kill you" Damascus said. "You're lungs-"

"Stuff my damn lungs" he said. "I can live without them. For now, we need to start searching again".

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A week has passed. No progress had been made in finding Anzus or the egg. And so, through the snows of Jötunnheim, the AWACS plane roared, soaring high above the high mountains as its great radar dome slowly spun above it, scanning the ground and sky.

"Silver Zero-Three, this is Overwatch. Move to sector three-o-two" the Radio Operator said, speaking into his head-set to one of the Ghosthawks that was patrolling far below.

"_Roger Overwatch" _came the reply. "_Moving to three-o-two"._ There were several minutes of silence before the Radio Operator sent out another call.

"Hammer Zero-Severn, this is Overwatch. Move to sector five-one-nine".

_"Roger Overwatch,_ _moving to five-one-nine"._ A few seconds later, there was a call from over the radio as one of the searching helicopters called in.

"_Overwatch, this is Dragon Zero-Nine. We're picking up activity just to the North of our position. Permission to investigate?"_

"Permission granted" the Radio Operator said. "Stay frosty though. This storm is screwing with our radar. If you go down, you're on your own".

"_Roger"_ the gunship pilot said. That was the last they ever heard from him.

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The pilot of the Ghosthawk chuckled as he clicked his radio off.

"Stay frosty? Can you believe this guy?"

"Well we are flying in a blizzard. I suppose they have to do something up there in that big bird of theirs to stay awake… even if it is cracking wise".

"Well what are we supposed to be worried about? This baby can handle the wind just fine and it's not like we're actually gonna find anything. It's probably just a bunch of Jötunns who've got lost in the storm".

"Yeah, probably". The helicopter continued onward, cutting a path through the near blinding snow as it whirred allow the mountain pass, following the course of a river. The pilots were bored and in truth, they were half hoping it WAS something worth worrying about. They had been searching these mountains for the last fortnight, never quite sure what they were looking for, just told that if they spotted anything that looked unusual, they were to report it to HQ. But nothing had happened. Monotony had set in. Complacency with it. Dangerous. One of the pilots stifled a yawn as he glanced down at his instruments, using them as an alternative to his eyes, as they were otherwise unable to see out of the aircraft. It was then that he spotted something odd on the thermal scope.

"Hey, are you seeing this?" he said to his colleague.

"What?"

"We've got a blip on the thermal scan". The other pilot leaned over to inspect the screen, frowning.

"What're you thinking? A deer or something?"

"Probably" the other man said. "Still, we should check it out, just in case". His friend nodded and the gunship descended, flying close to the deck as it swept in, almost silent through the flurry of the snow. However, as they approached the spot where the thermal blip had been, they discovered it was gone. "That's weird" the co-pilot said, scratching his head under his helmet. "I could have sworn that-" There was a sudden bang and the whole world began to spin crazily.

"WHAT THE HELL?"

"WE'VE LOST THE TAIL ROTOR! WE'RE GOING DOWN!" With that, the big chopper went spinning in, rumbling as it did so, shattering the frail pines as it clipped them.

"MAYDAY! MAYDAY! THIS IS DRAGON ZERO-NINE! WE'VE LOST THE TAIL ROTOR AND WE'RE GOING DOWN HARD!" No answer came.

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"Dragon Zero-Nine, come in" the Radio Operator said, calling in on the Ghosthawk. "Dragon Zero-Nine, this is Overwatch, please come in". No response. "Dragon Zero-Nine, this is Overwatch calling. We've lost you from our scopes. Do you copy?" There was nothing but silence… that and the white noise of the storm. "All units, we've lost contact with one of our birds. All nearby units, we want you to converge on Dragon Zero-Nine's last known co-ordinates and prepare for a combat search and rescue mission". But by then it too late. The gunship was gone completely.

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The pilot groaned as he crawled slowly away from the burning wreck of Dragon Zero-Nine. He was hurt badly, with one leg broken and several ribs shattered during the crash. Everyone else on board was dead. The other pilot, the crew chief, the ten Guardian Corp soldiers, including the ex-Valkyrie. All of them. And as the man slowly crawly away from the blasted gunship, he felt a shadow loom over him.

"Looks like we have a live one" a woman's voice said and the pilot looked up in to the faces of three Forgotten Army soldiers. "You two dispose of the wreck. I'll deal with the human". The other two nodded and headed towards the shattered Ghosthawk. The helicopter had come down on a slope overlooking the river they had been following, caring a trail of destruction in its wake. However, even as the pilot watched, the two former Praetorians grasped the wrecked helicopter and with all their strength, they heaved, rolling it over onto its back. From there, it kept rolling, crashing down the hill until it landed with a splash in the deep, rapid water of the river.

"It is done" one of the said and the first nodded.

"Good" she said. And with that, she drew her knife; a long and deadly Khyber blade. "Now, it's time to deal with this one".

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There was muffled cheering from outside the room where Temeraire waited impatiently.

"How long are they going to keep me here?" she demanded as she continued running a whetstone across the edge of her halberd, keening it to a razor's edge.

"You shouldn't be so hasty" Kitara said as she paced back and forth across the waiting room. "You know who you'll be up against if you make it to face the Champion".

"Don't you mean when?" Temeraire asked and Kitara simply shrugged. It had been a week since they had returned to Heaven, a week since they had returned from their unexpected skirmish against the Forgotten Army. In that time, they had been preparing themselves for this day; the day of the Deity Games. Today would be critical for them… or rather for Temeraire. Kitara was fairly well liked amongst the ranks of the Valkyries and with the other goddesses in general, being Peorth and Jeiko's daughter and being one of the new generation of Arch hosts, who were becoming more common as time went on and their value was becoming better understood. She had nothing to prove. Today was critical to Temeraire however. Her reputation was still stained from the Copenhagen incident but following their fight against the Forgotten Army, she had earned the grudging respect of her fellow Valkyries. Now though, she needed to solidify her new reputation and what better way than through the Deity Games, the Olympics of the gods? Every major race was represented here, in this semi-annual competition, bringing them together in a series of events, with each race hoping to prove their skills against the others. There were a great number of different events, ranging from magic and music to crafting and single combat. One of the most popular events was actually an ultra-violent version of rugby, open only for full Valkyries and Niflguard, to allow the soldiers to let off steam against one another, during this time of relative peace. Now however, it would soon be time for Temeraire's final event. She had proven her prowess in strength and courage but now, it was time for her to face her biggest challenge. She was had signed up for the one-on-one duels, with the winner of each duel moving onto face their next opponent, they themselves being the winner of another duel. In the end, whoever was the overall winner would then be allowed to face the current Champion; the best fighter in the world. For millennia, Lind had held the title, outclassing all comers. However, thirty years before, Jago had ousted her in one of the most brutal and long-winded battles that had ever been seen, that had only ended after both she and Jago had almost completely destroyed one another, only for Jago to win by default, drawing fist blood with a set of sharpened pennies her had concealed in the brim of his hat. With that, Jago had been made Champion, as well as Paladin. However, he never got a chance to defend his title; it was almost ten years before Heaven was in a fit state to hold the Games once more and by then, Lind and Jago's positions as Almighty One and Paladin had prevented them from competing in the Games anymore. Now however, it was their daughter's turn to challenge the Champion. Kitara however, was nervous. Her father, Lord Jeiko Sukaru, was the Champion, not to mention the second most powerful of all Earth spirits, after Lord Buddha himself.

"Are you really sure you want this?" Kitara asked as she continued to pace back and forth across the waiting room and Temmy sighed.

"Yes, I'm sure".

"But-"

"Yes, I know I'll be facing your father. But you have to understand that I NEED to do this. This is the only way that I will ever be accepted. If I can prove myself against the Champion, then they might finally accept me as a full Valkyrie". Kitara turned and shook her head sadly at her friend.

"You don't understand. My dad could _kill_ you by _accident_! It wouldn't be the first time that someone had been killed during these competitions. And I don't want to lose my closest friend in a battle against my Dad". It was then that the door was opened and an official stuck her head around it.

"Miss Temeraire, it's time. Are you ready?"

"I'm on my way" she said, stowing her whetstone and hefting her heavy halberd over her shoulder, before turning to depart. However, before she left the room, she clasped Kitara by the shoulder and smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be fine… and I promise not to beat up your dad TOO badly". Kitara snorted.

"Yeah, good luck with that" she said, scowling a little as Temeraire turned away. "Cocky bitch" she muttered after her.

"I heard that!"

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High above the field that overlooked the field which was used as the arena for the Deity Games, Lind was sat in the box afforded her by her rank. She wasn't alone, for Peorth, as goddess Aggregate Principle Representative, was sat on her one side, while Urd, as her half-sister and honoured guest, sat on the other, her own son on her lap.

"Well it certainly seems as if Temmy has been improving" Urd said as they watched the girl dispatch her fifth foe.

"So it would seem" Lind said. "Although… I have my doubts about how she will far against Jeiko".

"Well she's strong" Peorth admitted. "But Jeiko hasn't been beaten in all of the twenty years that he's been the Champion. No-one has even come close".

"I think she might have a fighting chance" Urd said. "From what we've seen so far today, it looks like she's at least as powerful as you were Lind, when you were that age… or rather, the equivalent of that age. And that puts her on a par with most First Class goddesses, even though she isn't fully licensed". There were several moments of silence as they watched Temeraire dispatch yet another one of her challengers.

"Mummy?" little Jarrett asked, looking up at his mother. "Is Cousin Temmy really gonna fight Daddy?" Urd looked down at her son frowning slightly but a voice from behind them answered him before his mother could reply.

"Fight him? Almost certainly. Beat him? Now that's another matter entirely". They all turned as Jago entered the box, slipping in through the rear entrance.

"Uncle Jago!" he cried happily and Jago smiled as he took a seat.

"Alright boy?" he asked and the little boy smiled before Jago turned and nodded to the others. "Sorry I'm late, the last few days have been Hell… if you'd pardon the phrase" he said, glancing at Urd who shrugged.

"Why, what's happened?" inquired Lind.

"Have you made any progress in finding Anzus?" Jago grimaced.

"A little. You'll have to excuse me; I haven't slept for fifty-three hours, what with the having to keep up this search and the Pucelle…" His voice faded and he paused to rub the corners of his eyes with two fingers.

"The Pucelle?" Urd asked but Jago simply waved his hand in dismissal.

"It's nothing. Something to make my life a bit easier when it's finished. But at the moment, it's killing me at the moment".

"When you say killing you?" Lind asked.

"Possibly" Jago admitted. "Anyway, I can't stay long. I'm only here as long it takes Temmy to either win or get her-" He paused, not wanting to say "arse" in front of his nephew. "Or until she's beaten" he finished diplomatically. "Then I'm off to Jötunnheim".

"I thought you said you hadn't made any progress".

"I said I made a little progress. A Ghosthawk has gone AWOL on us. Chances are, it's been shot down. Now, if I can find it, there's a good chance that the Forgotten Army will be somewhere nearby". The four of them continued to talk, discussing what best to do if Trenzilore and his forces WERE located. This was terribly boring for little Jarrett however and unnoticed by his mother, he began practicing his magic creating tiny whirlwinds in his palm and then flicking them away, to spin crazily across the field until they eventually dissipated. So engrossed was he in his game that he failed to realise that his mother and her friends had stopped talking to watch him. Silently, Jago and Peorth shared a wink and Gorgeous Rose and Damascus appeared behind them, each silently working on a spell. Gorgeous Rose summoned a handful of rose petals while Damascus conjured a pinch of gold dust. They shared a nod and then waited until Jarrett had started working on another tiny tornado before flicking them over to him. The dust and the petals mixed with the tiny vortex, becoming a tiny, shimmering pillar of deep red and shining gold, that took the boy by surprise, causing him to lose control of his spell. The tornado collapsed and he turned indignantly to glare at the mischievous angels.

"Quit it!" he said, trying to glare but utterly failing in the face of his stepmother's angel and his uncle's devil.

"You still need practice" Gorgeous Rose said. "If you can't complete a simple spell with a little interference…"

"Oh leave off" Urd said. "He's only two!"

"She has a point" Lind said and then nodded at the field below. "Besides, I think the main event is about to start".

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The final door had just opened. Temeraire stepped through, with it closing behind her. It was time. The final battle. She was to face the Champion. She entered into the final battlefield; an area of about thirty miles across and going up to three miles high, in a dome protected by a powerful Aegis Shield. The field itself was composed of a massive crag of sharp tipped stone, that jutted from the floor of the arena in jagged chunks, giving natural cover to anyone who was on the defensive. But it was in the centre of the ring that Temeraire would meet her foe. She instantly accelerated and shot the fifteen miles to where her opponent was standing, dropping down just in front of him.

"Hello Temeraire" Jeiko said, bowing his head to her. "I thought it might be you who I would be facing".

"Lord Sukaru" Temeraire said, bowing her head slightly and thumping her shoulder with her fist. "So… should we just get on with it?"

"I guess so" the Earth spirit said, unsheathing his katana and carefully balancing it in one hand. "As you know, your mother and I used to duel and as such, I'm interested to see what you've been taught. But don't think that because your parents and I are close that I'm going to go easy on you". With that, he sank down, raising his katana above his head with one hand, aiming it at her. "Well?" Temeraire grinned.

"I'm ready for you" she said, hefting her halberd and aiming it at his chest. They stared at each other for a few more seconds, each sizing up their opponent. And then the both struck.

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"AYO VALKYRIE!" Temeraire screamed and shot forward, jabbing with her halberd. Jeiko, unfazed by her war cry, brought his katana around with both hands, blocking her attack and stopping her dead. Temeraire then spun, back-slashing with her weapon and then brought her pole-arm down in a two handed chop. Jeiko blocked both moves and then went on the offensive. He grasped his sword with both hands and sliced at her and then thrust forward, just missing her. She dodged, planted the rear of her halberd on the ground and used it to launch herself backwards, summersaulting away from him, to land about ten feet away.

"Not bad" he said. "You're fast and nimble".

"Not bad yourself" she said and then grinned. "For an old man!" Jeiko chuckled.

"Well you got that from your father! Refuge in audacity!"

"Aye, that I have!" Temeraire said. With that, she attacked again. She moved at lightning speed, crossing the space between them faster than you could blink and swung her halberd around in a great, two-handed sweep, aiming for his chest. Jeiko through up his arm and caught the haft on his forearm. He grunted under the force of the blow and staggered back a pace as she began a series of punishing attacks. She hacked, slashed, chopped and thrust, aiming to take him down as quickly as possible. However, despite her strength, he seemed to be holding his own. Every move she made, he countered; blocking her attacks, side-stepping or simply ignoring the attack and launching one of his own, forcing her to convert her own move into a makeshift defence. Then she realised what was going on; he was testing her. He was trying to get a feel for her strength and speed, to figure out her fighting style and then come up with a counter strategy. Well, if that was the case, it was time to change things up a gear. And here came her chance now.

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Jeiko roared as he swung his sword around in a horizontal chop. Temeraire, seeing her chance, leaned backward in a Matrix style drop, her foe's sword hissing past her face, so close it shaved the tips off of her fringe. At the same time, she slammed the butt of her halberd into the ground and twisted her hand around the haft, sending a sonic pulse through the tip of her weapon and directly into Jeiko's chest. The blast lifted him off of his feet and sent him flying backwards, only to land on his feet, skidding backward, using his sword as a brake.

"Not bad kid" he said. "I see that you've made some modifications to that halberd of yours". Temmy nodded, grinning and holding it in both hands.

"Nice isn't it?" she said, looking down at her weapon. "Most Valkyrie's like a metal staff but I think wood and leather have a nicer feel to them. As to the sonic thing? Well Aunt Skuld owned me a favour".

"Nice" Jeiko said, standing and sheathing his sword. "But I have to wonder; is that your only ranged weapon? Because if it is, you're in trouble". And with that, his right arm changed, morphing into a huge and powerful energy gun, similar to the Nemea guns that golems used, only much more powerful .

"Oh shit!" Temeraire said as she saw the big gun and she jammed the butt of her halberd into the ground, wedging it between two rocks. She then leapt and landed on her halberd, bending the haft and then it straightened, catapulting her towards him. At that moment, he fired and the blast struck her full in the chest and sent her flying backwards, to crash into one of the protruding boulders. She went down, smoking, the front of her uniform scorched and for a second, he was afraid that he might have actually killed her. But then she was back up again, rolling to her feet and she started running. She had expected to take the hit; that's why she had dropped her halberd. Like her mother, it was actually a power limiter, meaning that she fought harder and moved faster without it. She darted between the rocks as Jeiko let fly with another shot, vaporising a boulder and then another but Temmy was fast, staying either just ahead of the rapid-fire bursts or allowing them to dissipate themselves against the rocks. Her white leathers quickly became flecked with tiny specks of molten rock, pockmarking her uniform grey but it didn't matter, as she was now closing in on Jeiko. This was her plan; use the rocks as cover and to get close, where his big gun would be difficult to manoeuvre and she would have the advantage. Suddenly, she leapt out from behind one of the rocks and launched herself at him but he fired again. The shot missed but Jeiko swore as his gun reached a critical temperature. He thumped his shoulder, jettisoning the spent coolant tank and reached inside his cloak for fresh one. Temeraire was almost on him however and with a shout, he pointed his cannon at her and fired. The blast seared past her feet and blew her back away, under the cover of the rocks as he hurriedly fanned at his overheated gun.

"Dammit" he muttered, reaching under his cloak and grasping a fresh coolant tank, slotting it into place.

"Interesting" Temeraire said softly and slipped behind a rock as he turned to face her.

"Very clever!" he shouted. "You know about my problems with coolant then?"

"Yep. Mum told me about how the easiest way to beat the gun was to let you overheat it and then attack, because it takes about fifteen seconds to replace a spent coolant tank".

"Try ten" Jeiko said as he hurriedly checked the tank. The emergency shot had almost overheated his weapon and so, it had taken almost half of the new tank to cool his weapon once more. He'd have to be careful. "Besides, as you saw, I can still fire without the coolers".

"I know" Temeraire said and began to run again, catching his attention. He fired, more slowly this time, hoping that she would wear herself down and using his weapon more as a sniper-rifle than as an auto-cannon. Temeraire however, was still just as fast and it wasn't long before Jeiko needed to swap coolant tanks again. Now was her moment to strike. She launched herself from behind cover and zigzagged towards him. Jeiko fired his last shot and then jettisoned his spent tank but before he could reach for a spare, Temeraire was on him. He fired his gun again but she was ready and took the blast on her forearms, sending her back a few steps but that was all. He fired again and then a third time… and then his mighty cannon-arm gave a shriek as the power cells overheated and the barrel warped, unable to keep up with the rapid rate of fire without coolant. This was what Temeraire was waiting for. Her moment to strike. She gave a yell as she leapt into the air and landed on his gun-arm, pulling Jeiko over and tossed him aside, slamming against the rock of the arena. She then grasped the cannon with both hands and with a mighty shout, she ripped the weapon from his side. Jeiko screamed as she tossed it aside and then dropped to one knee, panting. "THAT FRIGGING HURT!" he shouted as he clutched at the sparking stump.

"But I've won" Temeraire said with a note of triumph. "I knew that your cannon is your only vulnerable weapon, since you had the redesign. It's the only one that is prone to overheating and so, it's the only one which I could easily destroy". And she grinned. "Without it, you may have your sword but you're going to be fighting at a serious disadvantage. You might as well surrender". Jeiko… actually laughed.

"You think that by tearing off my cannon, I can't fight effectively? You should learn some history. For example…" he said, reaching under his cloak and grasping his spirit stone, his connection to his lay-line and the source of his power, "this is a trick I learnt from you father, after he lost his arm during a battle with Surtr". And to Temeraire's horror, the stone glowed and the mechanical arm started to reform, the delicate machinery reworking itself back into a fighting weapon of war.

"Ooooohhhhh" she said. "That's not… fair".

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"Well she's sly" Peorth said.

"And ruthless" Urd agreed as they watched the unfolding battle.

"I think she got that last one from me" Lind said, watching the fight critically.

"No, I think I'm the ruthless one here" Jago said. "Remember that time I broke that glass in that guy's hand and then _squeezed_?"

"Good point" Lind admitted. "But she's miscalculated. It's exactly the same as Copenhagen; going in cocky and half-arsed, with no back-up plan".

"I know I do that" Jago said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "The difference is, I have the power to back it up… plus two someones to watch my back". He paused then called out one of the someones. "Lamb, you're a soldier. What do you think?"

"Well… she's screwed. They have roughly equal power but Jeiko has the greater endurance and much more experience. He just needs to let her wear herself out and then he can finish her with minimal effort". She paused, as down below, Jeiko regrew his arm. "I'd give her… seven minutes. Ten on the outside".

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Temeraire retreated as fast as she could, trying to put some distance between herself and Jeiko. Her opponent however, was relentless. In his left hand, he gripped a short staff he had summoned, while in his right, he gripped his sword once more, hacking and slashing at her as she fell back steadily. She dodged a thrust, blocked a blow from the staff and tried to swing a punch at him, hoping to catching him with her brass knuckles. He easily dodged her clumsy attack and slapped her back with the flat of his sword, causing her to overbalance and tumble to the ground. She rolled back to her feet and growled, just avoiding a jab from Jeiko's blade. However, she had left herself exposed and he brought his staff around in a wide arch, sending it crashing into her side. Temeraire gasped in pain and staggered backward. She tried using magic to fight back, summoning a powerful ball of fire in each palm. She launched first one and then the other at Jeiko who simply swatted one aside with his staff and then dragged his cloak around to cover himself, allowing the spell to dissipate across its surface. Temmy gasped in surprise but she had no chance to recover as Jeiko charged forward, ramming his staff into her stomach. The young Valkyrie doubled over, gasping for breath, as he dodged around her and brought his staff down in a series of sharp blows to first one leg and then the other. Temeraire collapsed to her knees, unable to stand any longer, while Jeiko moved back around in front of her. She snarled and reached for her belt, tugging her khukuri from its sheath and tried to struggle up to face him but Jeiko simply slapped the big knife from her hand.

"Give up girl! You're beaten!" Temeraire's only response was to roar her defiance and try to stand. Jeiko sighed and thumped her in the chest with his staff, hard enough that there was an audible snap as her sternum cracked. She went down, collapsing onto her back, gasping in pain. But she looked up as she felt something ever so gently being laid against her throat. It was Jeiko's sword. "I win" he said simply.

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"Eight minutes, twenty-seven seconds" Jago said, timing the battle on his watch. "Good call Lamb". Lamb nodded.

"Thank you Master" she said.

"Well that was slightly anti-climactic" Peorth said. "I mean, I'm glad that Jeiko won and all but I wish that Temmy had put up a little more of a fight". She glanced across at Lind. "No offence". Lind shrugged.

"None taken. Your sentiment is legitimate but it was clear that Temeraire was outgunned from the beginning. She would never have beaten Jeiko, no matter what she tried".

"Of course not" Urd said simply. "Jeiko's been the Champion for nearly twenty years. Temmy would need at least another hundred-thousand years before she was ready to face our husband".

"YAY DAD!" little Jarrett cheered as he bounced on his mother's knee and the others chuckled at his excitement. All but Jago…

"Don't you do it girl" he muttered softly, catching their attention as he slowly got to his feet, leaning on the parapet of the box, his knuckles turning white. "Don't you damn well do it!"

"Do what?" Peorth asked but then she spotted it. Temeraire was up again. She had her khukuri in hand. And her hand on her booster.

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It wasn't fair! Temeraire glared as Jeiko slowly turned away, sheathing his sword. She had him! She had beaten him! If he hadn't used that trickery of his, then he would never have beaten her! It simply wasn't fair! Grunting, Temeraire struggled onto her front, gasping in pain from her fractured sternum, a string of blood leaking from the corner of her mouth and she glanced at Jeiko as he strode quietly away. Well, he thought he had won did he? She would show him. Carefully, she grasped the hilt of her khukuri and then pushed herself to her feet. And then, she raised her hand to her shoulder,  
swiping her thumb across her booster, sending herself rocketing towards him…

8888

There was a deep thump from behind Jeiko and he turned to see Jago. He had his arm out to his side, set like an iron bar and panting hard. And there was Temeraire. She was flat on her back, out cold as Jago stooped and picked up her khukuri.

"What the…?" Jeiko asked, confused but then he twigged. "Did she just try to attack me from behind?" Jago simply nodded. "Sneaky little bitch" he said softly and then grimaced. "Sorry".

"No worries. The last person who tried this shit within my line of sight got their face plastered across the wall… I HATE sore losers".

"WELL THEN YOU'LL HATE ME PALADIN". It was a voice that made Jago's voice run cold. Across the mighty arena, there were dozens of huge screens, allowing spectators from all across the area to see the various events that were taking place. Now, the one-on-one duels were the last event, meaning that every screen had shown Temeraire's downfall. There had been much muttering as every being present watched the girl try to attack her victorious opponent, even after she had clearly been defeated, which increased in volume as the Paladin was forced to intervene. Now however, every screen was filled with static as a rasping voice filled the great speakers. "GREETINGS TO YOU ALL" the voice said and the static slowly faded to show a masked face. "YOU MAY CALL ME… TRENZILORE".

8888

Hervar sighed as he watched the battle from the comfort of the Yggdrasil control room, his boots resting on his work station as Peppermint hovered beside him, both watching the screen. He snorted and shook his head sadly as he watched Temeraire's defeat, muttering softly to himself.

"Temmy, Temmy, Temmy, you never change, do you?" he said sadly.

"Well, you can't blame her for trying" Peppermint said but shaking her head too.

"But how is she ever supposed to win a fight if she keeps doing sit like that? I mean, come on! She used up all of her stamina, just trying to outmanoeuvre him and then, after it was clear that she had been defeated, she tries a stunt like that! I ask you…"

"At least she's persistent" Peppermint said, shaking out her blonde hair. "Or… would stupid be a better word?" Hervar gave a snort but Peppermint never got a real answer as at that moment, their screen began to crackle with static.

"What the Hell?" Hervar said, taking his boots off of the desk and leaning forward to inspect the screen, just as the masked face began to appear.

"GREETINGS TO YOU ALL" the face said. "YOU MAY CALL ME… TRENZILORE".

"Well this is new" Peppermint said. "Should we investigate?" Hervar nodded and his Arch gently laid her hand on the screen, beginning a diagnostic scan.

"Well? What've you got?"

"It's… odd" Peppermint said, both eyes screwed tight shut. "It's definitely a hack and they're using the Pope Joe signal but…"

"But?"

"But it's not Pope Joe". She paused and opened her eyes, her brow as wrinkled as a toffee wrapper. "That's odd" she said. "It seems to be coming from INSIDE Heaven".

8888

Both Jago and Jeiko stared up at the great screen as Trenzilore's face stared down.

"GOOD PEOPLE OF THE NINE REALMS, LET ME TELL YOU A STORY" the masked man said. If it weren't for the mask, it could almost be said that Trenzilore was _smiling_. "THIRTY YEARS AGO, A GREAT MAN HAD A DREAM. HE DREAMED OF A WORLD WHERE ALL BEINGS WOULD BE EQUAL, WHERE DEMONS AND GODS COEXISTED TO RULE THE LESSER BEINGS, ALL UNDER THE WISE GOVENANCE OF THE TRUE RULERS OF THIS WORLD; THE TITANS OF OLD! HOWEVER, A FEW… A SELFISH FEW, SORT TO PERVERT THESE IDEALS". And Trenzilore raised his hand, which was covered in a battered looking metal gauntlet and pointed directly at Jago. "IT WAS THE PALADIN AND HIS FRIENDS WHO STOPPED THIS WORLD FROM BECOMING A REALITY! THEY DROVE OUR LEADER, THE MIGHTY LORD DEADERUSS INTO A CELL, KEEPING HIM TRAPPED AND FROCED MYSELF AND MY COMRADES INTO EXILE. FOR THIRTY YEARS, WE HAVE STRUGGLED TO TAKE THE FIGHT TO THEM. NOW HOWEVER, WE HAVE THE MEANS TO DO SO. FOR THE ORACLE HAS SPOKEN…" With that, Trenzilore stepped aside, to reveal a kneeling figure. There was a bag over her face but to those who had seen her before, there was no doubt as to who it was.

"I have a bad feeling about this" Jeiko whispered to Jago, who nodded.

"I think I have a worse one" he said. It was at that moment that the bag was removed from the face of the captured woman and yes… it was Anzus. Bloodied, bruised and brutalised she was, her face stained with filth, through which channels were cut by the fresh tears that splashed down her once lovely face and great commotion went up from the crowd, which Trenzilore seemed ignore, simply continuing in his deep monotone.

"AS YOU CAN SEE, I HAVE CAPTURED YOUR SERAPH YOU LINK TO BOTH YGGDRASIL AND TO NIDHOGG… AND I HAVE THE EGG OF HER REPLACEMENT. WHY WE HAVE TAKEN HER YOU ASK? WELL, THAT IS SIMPLE. SHE IS A MESSAGE TO ALL OF YOU. THE FORGOTTEN ARMY IS FORGOTTEN NO MORE. OH, YOUR PALADIN AND GUARDIANS CLAIM TO PROTECT AND SERVE THE PEOPLE OF THE NINE RELAMS BUT IN REALITY? HE IS LITTLE MORE THAN A JUMPED UP HUMAN, DABBLING IN THINGS HE SHOULD NEVER HAVE KNOWN OF! EVEN NOW, YOU CAN SEE HIM! FOR ALL HIS MIGHT, HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP US FROM TAKING THE SERAPH AND NOW HE STANDS BEFORE YOU; A LIAR AND A HYPOCRITE! HIS DAUGHTER TRIED TO ATTACK A FRIEND, WHILE HE WAS UNARMED AND WITH HIS BACK TURNED! HE IGNORES THE CRIES OF THOSE WHO HAVE LOST OUT IN THIS RACE FOR THE GOD'S FAVOUR, THOSE WHO WE KNOW SIMPLY AS THE HUMANISTS! AND FOR WHAT? TO PUT A MERE VALKYIRE ON THE THRONE OF HEAVEN? IS THIS WHAT OUR UTOPIA WAS PREVENTED FOR? IS IT? WELL, LET ME SHOW YOU HOW POWERLESS HE TRULY IS… HOW POWER LESS YOU ALL ARE IN FACT, WITHOUT YOUR SERAPH!" And with that, he reached inside his cloak, pulling forth an object… a handgun. And he pressed it against Anzus's head. He fired. And every angel and devil in existence screamed simultaneously, as their link to Yggdrasil was extinguished.

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Peppermint let out a sound which no being should ever have to hear. It was like a cross between a shriek and a warble, so full of pain and loss that it sounded as if the whole world had died. And for her and every other angel and demon in existence, it had.

"PEPPERMINT! PEPPERMINT! CAN YOU HEAR ME?" Hervar demanded, collapsing beside his fallen Arch, fighting back the urge to vomit. His angel didn't respond however, just continued her unearthly howl of pain and despair as she flopped weakly across the floor. And then Hervar realised what he must do. In he staggered back to his console and booted up his celestial loom, using it to interface directly with the Yggdrasil core systems. The system tried to stop him, throwing up firewalls and kill programs, trying to slow or stop him, as only the Almighty One or the goddess Aggregate, Principle Representative was authorised to do what he was planning. Hervar was undaunted however; his angel was dying, as was every other angel in the world. He had to save them. And he had the power of an Engineer Arch, even if she was crippled and unable to help. His hands became a blur as he moved across the surface of the loom, weaving not cloth but the very fabric of reality, working it and remaking it to his own purposes. And then, with a sudden thump, he was finished. The lights dimmed as a computerised, female voice spoke;

"_Emergency Stored Energy Transfer activated. Stabilising all angels… commencing connection to Nidhogg system… connection complete… activating Hell's energy transfer… stabilising all devils… stabilisation complete. Warning. Limited energy stocks; approximately one year's supply. Please connect Seraph to prevent angel death, ASAP"._ Hervar sighed, leaning back in his chair and mopped his brow free of sweat. He was ringing wet, having been working at almost superluminal speeds in order to save the angels…

"PEPPERMINT!" he shouted, suddenly realising that he had forgotten her and raced to his angel. She had stopped screaming but she was now lying on her back, her chest fluttering rapidly as she gave short, painful breaths. Her eyes were open but instead of the beautiful, emerald green, they showed a blue light, filled with what looked like lines of code. "Peppermint?" he asked softly, shaking her a little, hoping for a response but none came… Then her eyes flicked, followed by her eyelids , with her eyes turning green once more.

"Master…" she said softly. And then she reached up and kissed him hard on the lips. Hervar flailed wildly as he tried to escape her but Peppermint refused to release him for several long moments. They both gasped when she finally did so and she frowned at his stunned expression. "That was for saving me… but don't go getting any funny ideas! I'm your angel, not your girlfriend!"

"Urr… right" he said. "So… did what I think just happened happen?"

"Yes" she said. "Anzus is dead and her Seraph with her. Without it, every angel and devil in existence is running on the energy stored with Yggdrasil and Nidhogg, at least until we can find the new one". Hervar paused, unsure about something.

"But why would he kill Anzus? He's a god too, isn't he? He must have an angel… or at least a devil?"

"Who knows?" Peppermint said as Trenzilore started up again. "Who the Hell knows?"

8888

Trenzilore calmly tossed aside the gun as he turned back to face, the screen, waiting until the screaming had stopped before he spoke once more.

"YOU HAVE SEEN A DEMONSTRATION OF OUR RESOLVE. AND NOW, HERE IS OUR ULTIMATUM. WE ARE DECLARING WAR ON A FEW OF YOUR NUMBER: THE ALMIGHTY ONE, GODDESS FIRST CLASS LIND, THE PALADIN, DEMI-GOD FIRST CLASS JAGO, THE HEAD OF HEAVEN'S ARMY, GODDESS FIRST CLASS VALMEYAR, DAIMANKAICHO, DEMON FIRST CLASS URD AND EARTH SPIRIT FIRST CLASS AND GATE GUARDIAN, LORD SUKARU. WE WANT THESE FIVE DELIVERED TO US IMMEDIATELY. WE DO NOT WISH WAR ON THE REST OF YOU BUT IF YOU CHOOSE TO FIGHT US, THEN WE WILL KILL YOU… AND DON'T FORGET, THAT WE CONTROL THE FATE OF YOUR SERAPH. YOU HAVE UNTIL THE END OF THE WEEK TO SURRENDER THEM TO US OR WE SHALL DESTROY HER TOO. NOW THINK ON THAT, ALL OF YOU. ON THAT NOTE, I BID YOU GOOD DAY". With that, Trenzilore's image faded from the screen, to be replaced with that of the centre of the arena once more.

8888

It was evening when Temeraire finally awoke, sitting up with a gasp, which turned into a cry as her chest filled with agony. She lay back down, panting, trying to work out where she was and what she was doing here… It looked like one of the rooms of Heaven's medical bay, much like a human hospital but without any of the fancy gadgets, as all medical treatment was provided by magic. The only exception was an x-ray machine which hung from one of the walls. It was then that she heard voices from outside.

"Looks like she's awake" a voice said. "I'll go and check on her". There was then that a door slid open and Kitara entered, pulling the door closed behind her.

"Hey Kitara" Temeraire said. "What happened?" Kitara didn't answer. She simply crossed to the bed… and slapped Temeraire.

"You're a damn fool!" she snarled. "You tried to attack my dad after he beat you!" She shook her head and glared at Temeraire, her face like thunder, while her friend rubbed her cheek in a dazed sort of fashion.

"I did what?" she asked, hoping that she had heard wrong.

"You heard me" Kitara said. "You tried to go after my dad, even with a broken sternum! That's why you feel like shit right now!"

"Because he put me in hospital?"

"No, your dad did that for you. He knocked you out when you tried to attack my dad, which is just as well really… because if he hadn't, then I would have". Temmy looked dismayed and Kitara couldn't help but sigh. "It's a good thing that I'm such a good friend… it takes a lot more than for you to attack my dad to fuck up our friendship, although it did come close. To be honest though, you've probably screwed yourself over more". Temmy groaned, not sure she wanted to hear why.

"Why?" she asked.

"Well, some of the other Valkyries wanted you booted out immediately. It was only because your mum is still friends with most of the other Captains that you're even still here".

"So I'm still a Valkyrie?"

"By the skin of your teeth". But then Kitara sighed and took a seat on thin air, letting her head hang low. "To be honest though, your cock-up today barely registers... "

"Say what?" Temeraire asked, now totally confused.

"It was Trenzilore. He somehow hacked into Yggdrasil…" Kitara slowly raised her head and to Temeraire's horror, she saw that there were tears in her eyes. "He killed her… he killed Lady Anzus. She was executed…" She paused, miming a gun to her head and blowing her brains out. "And it did something to our angels… every angel screamed when she died". She shook her head, not quite understanding what had happened herself. "Every single one of them… they lost their connection to Yggdrasil. If it wasn't for your brother, there's a good chance that they would all be dead now. And it's not just angels either. Whatever happened when Trenzilore killed Anzus, it affected the demons too. Or rather, their devils". She paused and then stood, still shaking her head. "There's something else you should know too; Trenzilore has declared war on a few of us. Your parents, your grandmother, my step-mother and my father have all been singled out. In fact, your mum is in the middle of a meeting with every god and goddess who's available, to determine a few things".

"Like what?"

"Like whether she should still be the Almighty One". With that, Kitara turned away and headed out of the room, leaving Temeraire's head spinning.

"Oh crap" she swore. "What have I got myself into this time?"

**Authors Note: Sorry it's been so long! First proper week of university and all that! Mondays are the worst; I have six hours of lectures or lab work, for which I'm supposed to do at least three hours of study. Thank god I've got Tuesdays and Wednesdays relatively free! Anyway, what did you think of this latest one? Trenzilore has made a bold move, no? Well, you'll see what's happening soon enough! **

**Also, on a minor note, I'm looking for feedback here. How does this story compare to my first one? It's probably not as good (and by my reckoning, it's only going to be about 20-25 chapters in total) but it would be good to hear from you and see what you think! Until next time then!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 8**

**Politics… I Hate Politics**

"This Council is called to order" the Speaker said, speaking out to the entire crowd. Almost every divine being had gather for this; the Parliament of the Gods. It was rare for such an event to happen, with only seven such Parliaments having been called in all of living memory, as it was considered a last resort for Heaven. With almost every deity gathered in one place, they would hold a vote on the most critical of issues, with every god and goddess having one vote to decide the issue. And as issues came, this was a big one. "As I'm sure you are all aware" the Speaker continued, "we are gathered here to discuss an extremely delicate issue. A crisis has befallen us… we have lost out Seraph. Worse, the perpetrator behind the attacks has declared war on our Almighty One, threatening to kill anyone who sides with her. I therefor call upon High Lady Lind, goddess First Class, Special Category (Almighty), Unlimited Licence, to come forth and speak. My Lady, the floor is yours". Lind bowed her head and stood, moving to the edge of her balcony. The room was a single vast chamber, many miles across. The room was dotted by hundreds of balconies and alcoves, from which the various beings to either sit or stand, depending on preference. There was no real organisation to it, with each deity taking a balcony at random. However, there were definite clusters of colour; the white splotches of Valkyrie collections here, the golden helmets of Osiris and his cronies there. It was these last one who would be the most trouble Lind knew as she took her stand, clearing her throat before speaking.

"Thank you Miss Speaker" she said and then turned her attention to the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, let's not waste time. We face the greatest threat since the end of the Kronos War. As the Speaker pointed out, this terrorist… no, this traitor, who calls himself "Trenzilore"… he has murdered Lady Anzus and in doing so, we have lost our Seraph, as well as a powerful and competent goddess. Now, as you know, we were able to activate the emergency energy stores which prevented the angels from perishing. However, our stores of energy are finite; we have a little over a year's worth of energy to our reserves are fully depleted, at which point, all of our angels WILL die". She paused, glancing around the room. "Ladies and gentlemen, I think you will all agree, we are at war".

"Don't you mean that YOU are at war?" a voice said and all eyes turned to Osiris as he stood alongside Bast and Sobek on their balcony.

"The floor recognises High Lord Osiris" the Speaker said.

"Thank you Miss Speaker" Osiris said, bowing his head to her and then turning back to Lind. "As I was saying, isn't it you who is at war Lind?" He grinned as Lind scowled and he turned to speak to the crowed at large. "We all heard Trenzilore's ultimatum; he declared war on the Almighty One and her mother, not on Heaven, while stating that anyone who becomes involved in this conflict will also be killed". He turned back to face Lind, grinning impishly. "It seems that you are all alone here".

"She is not alone!" all eyes turned to see a blue and white robed goddess, high in the roof of the chamber.

"The floor recognises Ambassador Belldandy".

"Thank you. Now, as I was saying, Lind is not alone!" Belldandy said. "When Trenzilore killed my mother, Lady Anzus, he did something that not even demons may do. He took the life of a goddess, First Class. I believe that in the laws of Heaven, this is classed as an act of war…" She glared about the room, with fierce tears in her eyes, daring anyone to challenge her. "Killing Anzus has effectively made Trenzilore the enemy of every god and goddess here. You all felt the pain as our angels nearly died…" There was a great deal of muttering and a general nodding of heads as Lind bowed her head to her.

"Thank you Ambassador" she said and then turned to the crowed once more. "Belldandy is right; despite Osiris's protests, we are at war with Trenzilore and the Forgotten Army. As such, I am afraid that we have no alternative". She paused, taking a deep breath, knowing how unpopular what she was going to say next would be. "I am calling up the Auxiliaries" she said, to be met with a mighty groan from the crowd. "Every deity is to report to their assigned unit at once. We must muster our entire fighting force to go after this bastard. Now, I know that this-"

"Surly this is overkill?" Osiris sneered, earning him a glare from Lind. "We aren't dealing with an army here, just a handful of traitors who can be swept aside with ease".

"True, they are low in number" Lind admitted, "but every one of them was once a member of the Praetorian Guard; either Heaven's or Hell's. We are going to need every fighter we can get if we are going to find and stop th-"

"Find? You haven't found them yet?" Lind glared at Osiris but nodded her head bitterly.

"Yes. We have yet to locate the Forgotten Army's hideout although Jago has successfully track it too-"

"Ah yes! The Paladin!" Osiris said with obvious glee. "Once again, we must place ourselves in the hands of a human barely one twentieth the age of our youngest Councillors". And then His grin got nasty. "How is the Paladin anyway? I hear that he isn't doing so well?" He then lifted his head to the crowd in general, feigning surprise. "Oh, haven't you all heard? The Paladin is dying! It seems that for all his strength, he has contracted a form of lung cancer that he daren't try to remove, as the effort would kill him outright!" Lind bristled at this. Where had Osiris heard this? Aside from the High Council, Belldandy and Skuld, nobody knew about Jago's sickness. How had Osiris discovered it? "Well it seems that we are in a bit of a conundrum here" the god said. "With the Paladin failing, we are forced to consider things carefully. Not only have we lost our Seraph but we are about to lose our most powerful fighter! As we well know, the Valkyries are ineffective! They failed to provide the security that was needed at the Games and because of that, someone was able to hack Yggdrasil system, the most critical system in all of creation! Jago's Guardians are equally ineffective! They are little more than a jumped up police force, giving him the authority to force us gods into submission! Not to mention that their main commander is a known traitor; Lord Deaderuss's Apprentice herself!" He paused, letting this sink in before continuing. "Finally, we learn that the Almighty plans to lead us to war, without any idea of where are foe is! She could be leading us into the heart of Jötunnheim for all we know!" He paused and grinned down at Lind. "Ladies and gentlemen, my fellow deities, what we see before us is a catalogue of errors, laid out by an ex-Valkyrie and her dying human of a wife! A pair who couldn't even stop their own daughter from trying to attack Lord Jeiko Sukaru, Guardian of the Bifrost Gate and one of their closest friends!" He paused again as muttered agreement filled the room. "Ladies and gentlemen, I hereby propose that we strip High Lady Lind of her title of Almighty One and replace her with someone who has Heaven's true interests in mind!"

"Who?" Lind demanded, folding her arms across her chest. "You?" Osiris shrugged.

"Why not?" he said and then he turned back to the crowd. "So, my fellow gods and goddesses, I put it to you. Do we keep Lind as the Almighty One or not?" There was muttering as every being to a stand, preparing to vote. About a third were Valkyries who could probably be relied on to vote for Lind. However, another third were Osiris's team; the Osiruns. These animal helmeted beings would almost certainly vote for their chief, meaning that the vote would be decided by the remaining third. These were the unaligned beings; gods and goddesses who held no allegiance to either camp. Some wore the robes of Heaven, some the ordinary cloths of those who worked regularly with humans. This last lot would PROBABLY vote for Lind but… It was then that they heard singing. The deep, booming voice of a man.

_"Because everybody's gotta have" _

_"Somebody to look down one!"_

_"To prove they can do better"_

_"Than at any time they please!"_

_"Someone doing something dirty"_

_"For decent folks to frown on!"_

_"Well if y'all can't find nobody else"_

_"Y'all can help yourselves to me!"_

All eyes turned to Lind's balcony as the singing figure emerged into view.

"Evening all" Jago said as he emerged into the light. "Any chance of a drink?"

8888

All eyes turned to Jago as he stopped beside Lind, a heavy object slung over his shoulder.

"The floor does not recognise you" the Speaker said, licking her lips nervously. "You are the Paladin, not a god. As such, you are not allowed to interfere in Heavenly politics". Jago shrugged and then heaved the thing off his shoulder.

"Well does the floor recognise THIS?" he asked, slamming the thing down on the edge of the balcony. There were gasps from the crowd. It was a body.

"What is this?" Osiris demanded, glaring hard at Jago who continued to smile with indifference.

"This is the spy who hacked the Yggdrasil systems… or what's left of her". He flipped the corpse over so that her face was visible to the surrounding deities while Lind leaned forward to whisper to him out of the corner of her mouth.

"What are you doing?" she hissed and Jago winked.

"It's called taking the blame" he said before turning back to face the crowd. "I have spoken to Valmeyar about this person" he said, nodding to the corpse. "She was a member of the Praetorians; one of the Seventh cohort. Intelligence and hacking specialists I believe". There was a great deal of muttering as this was declared, only for Osiris to start shouting again.

"Well so what if it is? It matters not! All that matters is that a spy was able to infiltrate Heaven-"

"While the Guardians were providing security at the Games?" Jago asked. "The Valkyries were mostly competing… as were most of your people to Osiris. And even if she had been spotted, she was in disguise". He pulled back the soldier's filthy cloak to reveal a pristine set of Valkyrie leathers beneath. "And before anyone asks; no I didn't kill her. She had a poison capsule of some kind". He paused and then looked up directly at Osiris. "Now, I know I'm not allowed to get involved in Heaven's politics, any more than I'm allowed to get involved in those of Hell. However, what I can say is this; I don't think this is really the time for leadership games. If you really must vote on whether or not Lind is to remain the Almighty One, then go ahead. However, if you are actually more concerned with finding the bastard who killed Anzus than with having a cabinet reshuffle, then I suggest you raise your hands now". There was moment's silence but then every deity slowly raised their hands, to which Jago nodded. Jago nodded. "Good. Now, I have a question for you all; what are we actually going to do?"

8888

The rest of the Parliament was over relatively quickly. Although it was unpopular, it was agreed that Lind's decision to call up all of the reserves was the correct one, as they would need every available being in this search for the traitors. However, there was one who was angry above all.

"This is unbearable!" Osiris hissed as he and his minions stalked from the room. "I had it all set out! Lind should have fallen! She may have a large number of supporters but with the doubt we sowed and the actions of her daughter during the Games, we had a better than even's chance of winning that vote!"

"Peace Osiris" Bast said as she walk beside him. "We may have failed this time around but as you have said, we have set the seed of doubt in their minds. All it will take is one more mistake for Lind to lose her position. Besides, now all of Heaven knows of the weakness of the Paladin".

"True…" Osiris admitted, rubbing his chin. "Now that they know of his failing strength, there is a good chance that they will begin to doubt him also… but perhaps we should do something a little more with this". He paused and turned to Sobek. "I want you to contact the Pope Joe collective. Tell them of the Paladin's condition and of our plans to replace Lind. Perhaps we can deal with two problems at once, if they can prove themselves useful".

"What did you have in mind?" Sobek asked.

"I'm thinking… we can discredit the old war hero". The crocodile helmeted god grinned, his huge, bushy moustache bristling.

"A distraction then? It may take time to organise… but I will speak to our contacts. I am sure we can talk at least some of the Humanists around".

8888

"That was a risky strategy Jago" Lind said as they headed back towards her office. "You could have been permanently barred from Heaven".

"it worked though, didn't it?" he asked.

"You know, you're starting to rely on that thing of yours… refuge in audacity. One of these days, it's going to get you into serious trouble". Jago snorted.

"One of these days? Lind, it's not like I exactly have a lot of them left". Lind sighed and shook her head.

"How can you be so casual about this? You may not have long but-"

"I long ago got life's joke… and realised it was on me. So I plan to have a few laughs myself, before they finally take me out". Lind shook her head, unsure whether to hug him or punch him but they suddenly came to a halt as they spotted someone who was waiting just outside Lind's office.

"Urd?" Lind asked as her bronze-skinned half-sister turned to her. "What are you doing here?" Urd turned to face them and to their horror, they saw that there were tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Lind… I have failed".

"Failed? How so?" Urd simply shook her head and brushed back her hair… revealing her blue symbols.

"I'm sorry… I have been usurped as Daimakaichō. Hagall has taken over the running of Hell in it's entirety".

8888

"So tell us what happened" Lind said from behind her desk. Urd sat opposite her, a mug of strong coffee and rum in her hand, with Jago off to one side. Urd shook her head, not sure how to reply. "Don't worry, you can take your time" Lind said. "You are amongst friends here". Urd nodded, taking a swig of coffee to steady herself before she began.

"It's simple really; the demons took a vote, similar to your Parliament. However, unlike here, I had no Paladin to save me when the vote came". She paused and glanced across at Jago. "No offence". Jago shrugged and took a sip of his own coffee.

"None taken".

"So what exactly happened?" Lind asked, keen to get as much information as possible.

"It's simple; after Trenzilore's declaration of war against me, Hell's Parliament came together and they voted me out of power. I've lost everything… my position, my status, even my species. I'm now a full goddess, rather than a full demon". She paused and then she looked straight at Lind, tears in her eyes. "Worst of all… they took my son from me!" Both Lind and Jago went wide eyed at this. To have taken Jarrett from Urd…

"Hang on" Jago asked. "Why? I mean, why would they do that? Are they just trying to be purposefully cruel? I know that they're demons and all but-"

"No, it's not that" Urd said, dabbing her eyes with an enormous spotted handkerchief that she had borrowed from Lind. "It's a matter of succession. You see, I may not be the Daimakaichō anymore but Jarrett is still my son… and unless Hagall actually has children of her own, he is still the next in line to the throne. It's a screwed up process but it's how things work".

"That's horrible" Lind said softly.

"Do you want me to help?" Jago asked. "I still have some pull in Hell. Maybe if I talk Hagall around…" But Urd shook her head.

"Hagall has no control in this issue. It is demon law and for all their-our evil nastiness, we take pride in following the word of the law". Jago shook his head.

"Well maybe the High Council-"

"The Council would most likely side with them on this. There is no point in going to them on this issue. And it's not like you can threaten to resign anymore; you don't exactly have enough have enough time left for that to be effective".

"Thanks" he said with a scowl and Urd looked as if she was about to apologise but he waved her down. "Forget it. Your my sister-in-law. We're supposed to exchange low blows".

"So what will happen to Jarrett?" Lind asked, leaning forward. For all of her work as the Almighty One, Lind cared deeply for her nephew, as she did for all of their extended family. If anything were to happen to them…

"He'll be alright" Urd said. "His father is still free to see him, whenever he is available and besides, he is in the care of Hell's most powerful demon. Nobody in Hell would dare to challenge her".

"Oh no, you don't mean-"

"Yes, he's staying with Hild" Urd said. "I know it's not ideal but it would be better for her to take over raising him if I can't be there…" Urd started to choke up and then, quite suddenly, she broke down into a series of uncontrollable sobs. What else could she do?

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Urd departed not long after that. She was fully reinstated as a Second Class goddess, with special privileges on powers but rather than going straight back to work, she was allowed to go back to her own room, so that she could be alone with her sorrows. It was likely that Jeiko and Peorth would go to comfort her soon but for now, the fallen Daimakaichō wished only to be alone with her sorrows. It was therefore Jago and Lind's unpleasant task to have to talk to the other two; Belldandy and Skuld, about the loss of their mother.

"I'm… truly sorry" Jago said to the pair, his head bowed low in shame. "I tried to find her but in the end, I failed. I could not find her and because of that, your mother was killed". He raised his head to look first into Skuld's saddened face and then into Belldand's, which had remained completely impassive. "I'm sorry" he said again. The pair simply nodded.

"You did your best" Skuld said lamely. "We can't ask any more of you than that". Belldandy didn't say anything however. She simply crossed to Jago… and slapped him.

"How… dare… YOU!" she snarled and even Lind felt a shiver of fear as the usually calm goddess crackled with a deep purple aura of hate. "I trusted you!" she hissed as Jago slowly rubbed his cheek. "You told us… you swore to us… that you would save our mother! But what did you do? You did… NOTHING!" She raised her hand to strike Jago again, only for Skuld to grasp her arm, fighting to stop her.

"Please Big Sis! It's not Jago's fault!" she said, desperately trying to hold Belldandy back. The blonde haired goddess turned to glare at her sister, her eyes a deep purple.

"What? You are siding with this man? Over your own sister? How dare you!" And she slapped Skuld too, sending Skuld reeling back five paces, until she tripped and fell, falling flat on her behind.

"Big Sis" she whispered softly and Belldandy suddenly came to, her eyes fading from purple to blue once more.

"My god… what did I just do?" she asked, staring down at her hands, tears coming to her eyes. But then she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Jago behind her.

"Don't worry" he said and then gently moved past her, offering Skuld his hand. She took it with a sniffle and he hauled her to her feet. "Now, if you want my advice; don't get involved in stuff like that. I'm big and ugly enough to take care of myself". He then turned back to Belldandy, who was still staring in horror at her hands. "As for you, I think we can all agree that you weren't in control just then. So if Skuld is willing to let that slide," he glanced at her and she nodded, "then we have to get back to more important matters". Belldandy nodded slowly and Jago moved around behind Lind's desk. "Now, aside from condolences, there is a reason that I called you here. You two are just about the most trusted goddesses on the staff and there's something I need you to do for me". Belldandy shook herself, finally returning fully to normal.

"What do you need?" she asked.

"It has to do with that spy Jago caught" Lind said. "It was something she said before she died…"

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The spy gasped for breath as she continued her run, her cloak billowing behind her as she rounded a corner, heading up a flight of stairs.

"STOP!" one of the perusing Valkyries shouted but the spy ignored her, instead rapidly turning and launching a powerful ball of energy at them. The Valkyries scattered, leaping aside to avoid the attack. It took them a few seconds for them to regroup but they were after her again immediately, storming along the corridor after the spy… only for her to wait until they had disappeared before ducking back out from the shadows that were provided by one of the corridor's many pillars.

"Fools" she muttered with a sneer as the last Valkyrie disappeared from sight. "Did they really think that they could catch me?" But then she stiffened, sensing something behind her. Warm breath down her neck…

"Hello chum". The spy yelped and turned as Jago ducked out of the shadows, stubbing out his cigarette. "Just my luck right? I duck out for a quiet smoke, just to settle my nerves after nearly losing my girls and what happens? The very person we're looking for decides to duck into cover in the exact same place as me!" He grinned wolfishly. "Now, I hate fate, always have and always will. I never like to predict and future that involves me, beyond the next meal. But coincidence? Now this is a good one!" The former Praetorian glared at him, to which he simply stared back, watching each other like wolves, waiting for the other to move. They both moved. At exactly the same moment, the spy's hand reached under her cloak and gripped the handle of a short dirk, pulling it from her belt, spinning and hurling it at Jago. At the same moment, Jago reached inside his jacket and unslung Skuld's sonic shotgun, snapping it to the "stun" setting. He squeezed the trigger and a wall of dense sound waves erupted from the barrel of the gun, rocketing towards the spy. It struck the knife first, stopping it dead in mid-air, before sending it flying backward, embedding the blade in her hand and then forcing its way through, slicing off two fingers and her thumb. However, before she could react to this, the pulse hit her, lifting her off her feet and sending her skidding across the floor. She groaned from the impact and then gave a shriek as the pain of her severed fingers swamped her mind. She clasped her hand as the blood pulses freely from the stumps. It was through a vale of tears that she watched Jago approach, spinning the barrel of the shotgun around its axis, recharging the weapon. "I like this gun" he said, half to himself. "I've got to get one for Christmas!" With that, he dropped to his knees beside the bleeding Praetorian, stowing his shotgun and drawing his boot knife. "Now, you're going to die today. Depending on what you tell me, I can make your death fast or slow; it's up to you. So what do you say?" To his surprise, the spy… actually smiled at him, just as the Valkyries returned, attacked by the sound of the shotgun. Jago waved them down as the spy grinned up at him and began to speak.

"You think you've won Paladin? Your Seraph is dead and your people disheartened. Not only that but my Lord has taken the next one as well… he won't destroy her though. He will keep her until later. We have plans for her". And Jago's blood ran cold.

"What are you planning? Where are you hiding?" he demanded, pressing the knife hard enough against her throat to split the skin but the Praetorian simply continued to grin.

"You shall know soon enough… oh you will know! We of the Forgotten Army are forgotten no more! We are about to turn this whole world against you! And then, when humanity itself rejects you and your kind, what will you do then?" And with that, the woman flexed her jaw and Jago heard a crack as she broke one of her teeth. With a sudden shove, Jago forced her mouth open, stuffing the side of his hand into it.

"DON'T YOU DARE BITE DOWN YOU BITCH!" he shouted but it was too late. She had already bitten down... but not on his hand. She had bitten into a poison capsule that had been concealed in one of her molars, just in case she was captured. All that Jago and the Valkyries could do was watch as she started to froth at the mouth and then convulse. Less than ten seconds later, she was dead.

"What the Hell did that mean?" one of the Valkyries asked as Jago stood, wiping froth filled spit from his hand.

"No idea" he said. "But if I were any judge, I think the Humanists are probably involved too".

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Both Belldandy and Skuld looked confused by this last statement.

"How do you come to that conclusion?" Bell asked, cocking her head a little. "It sounded like a general threat to me".

"It was the thing about turning the world against me" Jago said. "She said "when humanity rejects you". Well to me, that sounds like the Humanists. They hate me and the Guardians almost as much as they hate gods and demons… and it also both answers and raises some rather interesting questions".

"Such as?" Lind asked, she too being completely lost.

"Such as "where did Trenzilore get a handgun from?" To my knowledge, the Forgotten Army doesn't trade with the Jötunns, not to mention that we confiscated all guns from the giants. So where would it have come from?" He paused to let them think this through, waiting for the metaphorical light bulbs to come to life. "Exactly" he said. "And that would explain a few things. If for example, the Humanists were trading guns for information and if that spy is any kind of evidence, it seems likely that this is the case, then it could explain how the Pope Joe group keeps managing to access Yggdrasil… especially if there is more than one spy".

"So what do you want us to do?" Skuld asked.

"Well that's simple". Jago turned first to her sister. "Belldandy, I need you to get me into contact with Nyeusi Chui. I need to get into the Humanist lines and find some things out for myself. Think you can do that?" Belldandy paled at the thought of having to contact such a notorious person but nodded.

"If I must" she said. "Although I have to say that I don't agree with having to deal with such people".

"That's fair enough" Jago said and then turned to Skuld. "As for you, I need you to give something a coat of looking over. It's something I've been working on and I need the opinion of an engineer before I'm ready to test it. Is that alright?" Skuld shrugged.

"Depends what it is".

"Well I can't tell you yet" Jago said, "but I can show you". He then turned back to Lind. "Now, I think I need to get going. You think you can survive without me?" Lind shrugged.

"I'll manage". With that, she turned back to her half-sisters and bowed her head. "And to you two, I too extend my condolences. I wasn't well acquainted with your mother but I-" Belldandy simply shook her head at her.

"Thank you Lind" she said. "We understand" Lind nodded.

"If there's anything I can do for you, just let me know". And then she paused, remembering what her next job was going to have to be…

"I've been meaning to ask" Skuld said, "but what's going to happen to Temeraire? I mean-"

"That's my next job" Lind said. "And I don't want anyone here for that. It's not going to be pleasant".

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Urd sat quietly in her room, too drained to do anything but stare straight ahead. In one short day, she had lost almost everything that she had tried to hold onto these last thirty years. She had lost her job, her rank, her position, her species and her son. She was ruined. Finished. Done. But she stirred as she heard a tentative knock at the door.

"Urd? Can we come in?" Urd sighed and raised her hand, using a speck of magic to open the door without moving from her chair. Outside were two of Peorth's girls, the middle pair of the five; Isaz and Wynn. Urd smiled weakly to her stem-daughters and nodded.

"Hello girls" she said. "What brings you here?" The two girls bowed their heads to her, not quite sure what to say so Urd sighed. "I'm guessing you've heard?" The slightly older of the pair nodded.

"Yes… we're sorry Urd. If there's anything that we can do-". Urd raised a hand and waved it at her, signalling Wynn to silence.

"It's ok" the older goddess said. "I'll cope. I always have".

"Well if you need us…" Isaz said. Urd nodded and then turned away, seeming to dismiss them. The pair turned away too, preparing to leave but then paused as they heard an unexpected sound. Urd was crying again. They turned back to their step-mother, who had her head in her hands, weeping openly in front of the pair. Silently, Isaz and Wynn nodded to each other and then silently, before moving over to Urd. Without a word, they gently wrapped their arms around her holding Urd tight, hugging her trying to comfort the older goddess. It took a moment for Urd to respond but slowly, she reached out and pulled her two step-daughters to her, holding them tightly as she slowly rocked in her chair. Then, to their surprise, they felt another set of arms and the two girls looked up to see the sadly smiling face of World of Elegance. The pair were shocked. They had never seen her as she was now; for the last thirty years, World of Elegance had been a black and white devil, her right side being black and her left being white. Now however, with Urd back to being a goddess, the angel was in her original form, with her right side white and her left black and having lost her devil's fangs. It was a little disconcerting to them until she spoke in her crystal clear voice, the voice that they had known for the angel, all of these years.

"Thank you girls" she whispered. "For all her strength, my Mistress will be grateful to you. We have lost so much and it is good to have a pair of girls like you to comfort us". The pair nodded and for many long minutes, the four of them sat together, just holding one another as Urd and World of Elegance let their despair flow freely. It was not until they heard another knock at the door that they finally separated and turned to see Jeiko who was stood in the doorway.

"Father?" the two girls said, untangling themselves from their step-mother and her angel.

"Hello girls" he said, smiling to the pair of them. "May I speak to Urd alone?" The pair nodded and exited, leaving Jeiko alone with Urd. In the meantime, World of Elegance had disappeared back inside her Mistress, leaving a seat spare for the pair. "So… how are you holding up?" he asked, to which Urd gave him a tear stained look. "Jeiko, I just lost our son. There's a good chance that I'll never see him again and I've had to leave him in the care of my mother, who despite her protests and hobby for growing giant plants is probably the strongest demon who has ever existed, not to mention that she's evil and bat-shit crazy to boot. How the hell do you think I damn well feel?!" She quickly stood and crossed to him, grasping Jeiko by his front and pulling him to his feet. He may have been the taller of the pair but she easily lifted him from his feet, glaring up at him. "If I were the same person I was thirty years ago, then I would have started bombing things by now! Luckily, I've managed to learn some self-control, so even though I'm almost at the wrist-slitting end of the depression scale, I'm not planning to do anything that drastic!" And with that, she lowered him to the ground once more… and she kissed him. "Now, you listen to me Lord Jeiko Sukaru. You are the only one of us who can see our son. As such, I want you to make sure he's alright. I don't care what those fools in Hell or the High Council say; you make sure that that boy stays on the straight and narrow! Do you hear me?" Jeiko nodded and grinned, his handsome face easing Urd's worries.

"I promise. Jarrett will be fine. On my honour as both the Bifrost Guardian and as an Earth spirit". Urd simply nodded.

"Good… now, I want you to make low to me like a mad thing… I need you tonight, no matter how much Peorth calls". And Jeiko smiled.

"Yes ma'am!"

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Jago's shook his head as he moved between the relics of Kronos War museum, pausing to stand beside Street-fighter; the Challenger 2 tank which had helped to turn the tide during the battle for Hero's Plaza. He laid his hand against the beast's armoured hull, remembering the battle, how he had ridden on the roof of this very tank, using it to fight their way to the central palace.

"Jago". He turned and saw Valmeyar emerging from behind a Hind gunship, running her hand along the aircraft's tail. Jago nodded to his mother-in-law as she approached.

"Evening Valmeyar" he said, tipping his hat, to which she gave a brief salute.

"Feeling nostalgic?" she asked, nodding towards the tank. Jago shrugged.

"Something like that" he admitted and the tattooed Valkyrie sighed.

"We used to live in a simpler world" she said. All Jago could do was shrug. "So, what's the plan? I mean, now that war has been declared on the pair of us?" Again, Jago shrugged.

"Same as it always was; we find Trenzilore, wherever he's hiding, we drag him back here, we have him tried and most likely, he'll be executed". Valmeyar nodded, understanding perfectly. Although many of Lind's policies were less than popular, the execution of traitors, if convicted was deemed a necessary step. It was brutal and some would say uncivilised but as almost every goddess had lost someone close to them during the revolution, they were generally fine with the killing of treacherous Praetorians.

"What about Temeraire?" Valmeyar asked. "What will happen to her?"

"I'm not sure" Jago said and he paused. "Valmeyar, can I ask you something?"

"I'm your mother-in-law and while I understand that most human males don't get on well with theirs, you and I seem to have reached an understanding… so yes, I guess so. If you must". Jago nodded and then he asked her.

"Ok, here it goes; am I a bad parent?" Valmeyar paused, not quite sure how to answer that and she said so. "Well think about it; at the best of times, I was only able to see Temeraire and Hervar once a week because of the High Council's decision to limit my access to Heaven and I can't help but wonder whether my not being here has somehow fucked up my kids. I mean, Hervar turned out alright, even if he is a coward when it comes to women but Temmy? Is what she's doing my fault? Could I have done more for her?" Valmeyar snorted at this.

"Jago, need I remind you that for most of Lind's life, I wasn't around? And that neither was her father? Tyr and I were also forced to separate from our daughter and… well, she turned out alright in the end".

"Yeah but I don't think I have enough time to make it to Temmy's "end". I'm terminal, remember? I'm probably not going to ever see her get a boyfriend, never mind her getting through this phase of hers".

"Well then I'm not sure what you can do" Valmeyar said, folding her arms and shaking her head. "If you want my advice though, you should try and spend a little more time with her before you go... you and Lind, plus Temmy and Hervar. All four of you should go away somewhere, as a family perhaps. You know, do something together, once all this trouble with Trenzilore and his lot is sorted out. Peorth and I can run Heaven pro-tem and… well, you get the idea". Jago paused, considering this and then nodded.

"You know, that just might work". It was then however, that they heard a noise. It was shouting. On a biblical scale. It was coming from the Bastion. "And so, the war begins…"

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"HOW DARE YOU!" Lind roared, right in Temeraire's face. "HOW DARE YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT!" Temeraire didn't answer, simply continued to stare straight ahead, so Lind grasped her daughter by the throat, lifting her from the deck and hurling her across the room. Temeraire gasped in pain as she stuck the wall and then collapsed to the floor. She then looked up as a shadow loomed large above her and she saw her mother standing over her, her face red with anger and her halberd in one hand, aimed directly at her chest. "HOW DARE YOU TRY AND ATTACK JEIKO IN SUCH A FASHION! YOU'RE A DISGRACE TEMERAIRE! YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO THE VALKYRIES, TO YOU PARENTS, TO ALL OF HEAVEN!" She paused, taking a few deep breaths before continuing. "IF YOU WERE _ANYBODY_ OTHER THAN MY OWN DAUGHTER, I WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH KILLING YOU, RIGHT HERE AND RIGHT NOW!" Temeraire looked up at her mother, wiping a trickle of blood from her mouth with her sleeve.

"Don't let that stop you!" she said with a grimace and Lind's eyes flashed yellow with fury.

"DON'T YOU DAMN WELL TEMPT ME!" she bellowed. She stooped, grasping Temeraire by the hair and pulled her daughter to her feet. "YOU THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE MY BLOOD IN YOUR VEINS, THAT I WON'T SPILL IT ALL ACROSS THE FLOOR?" With a shout, she swung her halberd overhand, embedding it into the wall beside her daughter's head, making the girl flinch… The Almighty One leaned forward, slamming her fist into the wall, trapping Temeraire in place as she leaned in, glaring at her. "I still can't good damn believe it!" she snarled. "My own daughter, a vile coward who attacks her foes from behind, even after they have won!"

"But-" Temeraire started to protest but Lind slapped her daughter into silence.

"YOU DON'T GET TO TALK!" the blue-haired goddess shouted. "NOW YOU LISTEN OR I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU!" She paused, taking a deep breath and then continued in a softer voice, but one that was all the more threatening for it. "There are few people I care about in this world… Few who aren't family that is. In fact, there are just four. Your father is one. Peorth, for all our differences is another. Keiichi is the third; he helped me to learn to control Cool Mint… and Jeiko is the fourth! He and I were as close as brother and sister for years… in a way we still are. But because of a stupid stunt, almost exactly like what you've done, I nearly got us both killed!" Temeraire gulped. She had heard this tail before but she dare not speak as her yellow –eyed mother continued to glare at her. It was a sad tale. The story of Lind's greatest failure…

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Lind was much older than she looked. So old in fact, she had lost count. All that she knew was that she was old enough to remember what colour the dinosaurs were, estimating her age as somewhere between one-hundred and one-hundred and thirty million years in age... despite having the body and face of a twenty-five year old super-model. And of those years, she had spent millennia as an Apprentice to one of Heaven's most powerful warriors; Heimdall, the golden eyed Guardian of the Bifrost Gate. He had taken her in, just after she had gained her angel Spear Min and therefor, had been disowned by her mother, following the orders of the High Council. She had trained under this powerful warrior for years, growing more powerful as she went. But years later, Heimdall had also adopted a young, orphaned Earth spirit, known as Jeiko Sukaru… Jeiko had become Heimdall's new favourite or so Lind had thought and so, she and the new Apprentice had duelled constantly, battling against one another for supremacy and from this, their rivalry had grown into a friendship. Jeiko had even come to see Lind as a big sister; his protector and mentor, the one person other than Heimdall whom he could always rely on. Lind was always the stronger of the pair. She was faster. The more powerful. But one day…

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Lind grunted as Jeiko threw her back, his sword grinding against the haft of her halberd.

"You're getting better" she admitted, preparing for the next round.

"Thanks!" Jeiko said, grinning from ear to ear. With that, he dived forward, slicing at her, aiming for her stomach. Lind blocked the move with her halberd's blade, taking a step backward, slamming the butt of her halberd into the ground and using it as an anchor to lift herself off the ground. She spun herself around the haft of her weapon, kicking out at Jeiko with both feet. She struck Jeiko in the chest with both feet before landing on both feet, tugging her weapon free of the ground, spinning herself around her own axis and planning to stop her weapon just short of Jeiko's face. She had used this move hundreds of times… thousands in fact. It was her usual method of beating him in fact. But this time, something went wrong. As she span, on of Lind's feet slipped out from under her, setting her off balance as her halberd hissed past Jeiko's face. Jeiko saw his chance and slapped the back of Lind's weapon away, sending her spinning away and at the same time, he swept his blade up. Lind quickly regained her footing and spun around fully, bringing her weapon around to strike again. But she stopped… with Jeiko's blade resting just under her chin. They both looked at one another, dumb-founded by what had happened. Jeiko… had won.

"Well done Jeiko". The pair turned to see their Master, Lord Heimdall. He had been watching their battle for some time now; he never got involved, he never intervened and he was always impartial. But now… "I'm impressed. I believe that this is the first time that you have beaten Lind". Lind turned and glared at her Master, leaning heavily on her weapon.

"But Master! All that happened-"

"Don't complain Lind" the old Master said. "Remember that no matter how powerful you are, there is always a chance that you may be beaten by an opponent. No matter how fast, how strong and how skilled you think you are, you can always lose to chance". The golden-eyed warrior stood slowly and slowly crossed to them. Gently, he laid one hand on Lind's shoulder, smiling to her. "And don't worry; you may have lost today but there is always tomorrow". With that, he turned to Jeiko and started to lead him away, talking to him softly, while Lind silently fumed. It wasn't fair! How could she, Lind, lose to someone like Jeiko Sukaru! How…? And then, the rest was history. She had drawn her seax knife and in much the same way as Temeraire had, she had tried to go after him, only to be defeated by Jeiko. She had shamed herself. She had shamed him. She had shamed herself. And in her shame, Lind had sort redemption. She had headed to Earth, searching for a monster who had been attacking the region known as North Africa, around the area which would one day be known as Libya. The monster's name had been Tobruk. He was a dragon, a brother to Gandamak and a monster in his own right. She had tracked the dragon to his lair and there, she had challenged him, hoping to defeat him in single combat. It hadn't gone well…

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The dragon roared, rearing back to belch another gout of liquid fire at the young goddess. Lind ducked for cover, diving behind a rock to protect her from the fire.

"COME ON OUT, LITTLE ONE!" the dragon roared, moving slowly forward, searching for her. He wasn't as big as Gandamak, being closer to seventy feet than a hundred and he was far thinner, being more serpentine than his brother. He also had fewer legs, only four compared to Gandamak's ten but he made up for this with his massive wings, all twelve of them, each of which were more than a hundred and twenty feet across. His tusks jutted sharply from his cheeks and he used them to scythe from side to side, searching for Lind. She had stored her halberd, knowing that she could move faster and deal more damage without it. All she had to do was get close with her knife and… WHAT WAS SHE THINKING! She was out-gunned by the massive monster, unable to get close enough to actually attack the monster and the dragon's natural resistance to magic, there was no way for her to fight this monster. What had she been thinking? She should never have come here! She- "There you are!" the dragon said, glaring down at her, his copper coloured eyes glaring down at her from above as he leaned over the rock she was using as a cover. The dragon's jaws then came down, snapping at the spot where Lind was. She quickly dodged aside, rolling out of the way of the monster's snapping jaws. She rolled back to her feet as the dragon turned to face her, his mouth hanging open, his tongue lolling out, over his sharpened fangs. "You were a fool to think that you face me alone girl" he hissed.

"That may be so" Lind said, gripping her knife in one hand as she readied herself for battle once more, lowering herself into a crouch and raising her knife hand for an upward strike. "But I have no intention of leaving until you're dead!" With that, Lind shot forward, screaming as she came, to be matched as the dragon trumpeted a horrifying war cry as it came, his jaws agape and his tusks slicing at her as he came. Just before the two met, the dragon belched forth another bust of liquid fire, causing Lind to dive forward, rolling under the cloud of flame and between the front legs of the monster. She jabbed her knife upwards, hoping to penetrate the thick scales of the dragon's chest. However, the dragon's armour was too thick and her blade simply skittered off the thick scales, with a sound like nails down a chalk board. And then, the dragon reared, before dropping back to all fours, slamming one foot down on top of Lind, trapping her, spread eagled beneath its mighty forefoot. Lind heaved upward, trying to lift the dragon's foot off of herself but it was in vain, for the beast was many times her size and weight and for all of her Valkyrie's strength, she could not shift him.

"You should never have come here girl" the dragon said, leaning forward so that his foul breath and drool washed over the blue-haired goddess, as she tried desperately to avoid the foul cocktail that was coating her. "If you had stayed away, then perhaps you would have lived longer. Now though, it's time for you to say goodbye". And the dragon leaned close, preparing to extinguish the young goddess's life force… only to suddenly rear back, trumpeting as a sword was thrust between two of the dragon's heavy back plates.

"YOU GET AWAY FROM HER, YOU BITCH!" Jeiko bellowed, twisting his katana with both hands as he worked it with both hands, seeking to open up the dragon's spine. Tobruk bellowed in agony and swiped at the annoyance on his neck with his wing claws, raking the boy with his talons. Jeiko clung on grimly, taking the hits as they came, thick and fast, shout out to Lind to move. She did so, rolling to her feet to escape the monster and she snatched up her seax before turning back to Jeiko's desperate battle against the dragon. The beast had successfully caught a hold of him with its claws and tore the boy from his back, tossing him aside, to where he fell limply to the ground.

"JEIKO!" Lind had screamed and she ran to him but before she could reach him, the dragon reared in front of her, spreading his great wings wide.

"Fools!" he hissed. "You will both die now!"

"Not today they won't" a deep voice said and he dragon hissed around to see Heimdall, recently emerged from the Bifrost Gate, his mighty broadsword in hand. He jerked his head at Lind and then to Jeiko. "Get him out of here" he said simply and Lind nodded, racing across the field and scooping her friend from the ground.

"You're a damn fool!" she hissed to him.

"Well somebody had to save your sorry arse!" Jeiko said with a pained grinned and then yelped as Lind helped him up and together, they had staggered back through the Gate and to safety, while behind them, their Master fought for his life, battling the monster that was Tobruk.

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"So what happened?" Temeraire asked as Lind finished her tail.

"My master fought that dragon to a standstill. Jeiko was hurt badly; he lost his right arm and eye that day, facing down that dragon to save my sorry skin. And my master almost lost his life, though he slew the dragon. You see, the sounds of battle attracted Tobruk's brother Gandamak, who was not only large but far more powerful and he sort revenge against my Master. Had it not been for a passing demon, a powerful sorcerous, who through their combined power were able to bind Gandamak to Ginnungagap, trapping him until Deaderuss released him, then my master would most likely have been killed… all because of my foolish actions". She paused and sighed, leaning back. "Do you see where I'm going with this?" Temeraire nodded.

"I'm going down the same path… I'm too cocky and sure of myself?" Lind raised an eyebrow.

"And?"

"Pride?" Her mother nodded.

"Exactly" she said. She paused, tugging her halberd from the wall. "Look, I'm may be bloody furious at you but in truth, I'm more disappointed than anything. Especially after what happened in Copenhagen…" Temmy winced and despite her anger, Lind felt guilty for the low blow. She persevered however. She was determined that whatever happened next, her daughter would never do anything like this again. "Temeraire, you have caused myself and your fellow Valkyries great distress" she said, putting on her official voice. "As such, I am hereby confining you to the Bastion until further notice. Any attempts to leave will be met with extreme prejudice. Am I understand?" Temeraire knew better than to argue.

"Yes ma'am" she said, bowing her head. Lind sighed at her daughter and shook her own.

"Look Temmy, I love you dearly but your father and I can't keep protecting you like this… especially if you get someone else killed though your pride. You're lucky at the moment, in that most of the other goddesses are busy preparing for an attack on Trenzilore and his forces, so you hopefully you won't catch to much flack". But then she paused, her eyes becoming yellow again. "Make no mistake however; if you try another stunt like this, then I WILL kill you…"

8888

It was not long after Temeraire had left that Lind had called Eir and Saga into her office for a secret meeting. She trusted Jago and his Guardians, not to mention Belldandy but she had to be so certain that they would find Trenzilore and just as importantly, find out exactly what he was planning. As such, she needed her two best wish granters to go on a mission that, while not necessarily dangerous, then could become so if something went wrong… especially wince they would be heading to a region here if they got into trouble, then there would be little chance for support.

"So, do you understand what you must do?" Lind asked and the twins nodded. "You realise that you don't have to do this? You're going into a city which while not entirely hostile, has one of the highest concentrations of Humanists to be found in the world?" Both of the purple haired goddesses snorted, cracking grins at their Almighty One.

"Lind, you think we'd really turn down a job like this?" Eir asked and Saga nodded to her sister.

"She has a point" the other wish-granter said. "We're always up for a little espionage and besides, none of your Valkyries would have a damn clue about this sort of thing".

"They'd probably just show up, all guns blazing and scare off anyone who could actually be of use to the investigation". Eir paused for a second. "No offence" she said and Lind shrugged.

"None taken" she said. "You make a valid point. Now, I'm giving you a free reign while you're out there but I don't want you to do anything stupid. We can't be caught in these kinds of affairs… not after all the shit that's gone down in the last couple of days". She paused, trying to remember if there was anything she had forgotten. "You will of course be given the standard deep cover kits and some emergency funds, as well as access to a safe house. Other than that though, I'm afraid your on your own. I suppose you two won't have any trouble finding jobs in the city?" The pair glanced at one another, grinned and threw Lind a thumbs up.

"No worries!" they said together, to which Lind smiled.

"Good". It was ten that they heard a knock at the door and the three of them turned as it was pushed open, to reveal an angry looking Peorth, followed by a dejected looking Hervar.

"We're sorry to interrupt Lind" Peorth said and then jerked her head at Hervar, "but he has something to say to you". Lind's brow wrinkled in confusion, as she turned to Hervar.

"What is it? Has something happened?" Her son nodded and he raised his head slightly.

"I'm sorry Mum; I tried to stop her but she wouldn't listen". Lind's face became deadly serious.

"Temeraire right?" Hervar nodded. "What's she done?" he told her. Lind swore. "For fuck sake!" she said and reached for her phone. "I'm sorry everyone but if you would please excuse me, I need to make a few calls. Eir, Saga, you know what to do. Peorth, if you could stay. I need to talk to you about some contingency plans". And then she paused and gave her son a small smile. "And Hervar… good job. I know it's goes against your code to rat on your sister but in this case, I think it is well justified. And not just that. If it weren't for you, we would all be in comas from angel-loss". Hervar nodded, bowing his head low.

"Thank you…" he said simply, before turning to leave. He felt ashamed for what he had just done but in truth, he had had no choice. Because this time, Temeraire had REALLY gone off the deep end.

8888

High in one of the towers of the Bastion, Urd was enjoying herself, tormenting her husband.

"Give me a few minutes to remove my arm first! After all, this thing is sharp, AND HOT! I don't want to cut you, burn you, or whatever". Nodding, Urd grinned.

"Better get some food in you as well Jeiko". She then purred seductively, "They don't call me 'Mistress Urd' for nothing you know? And I plan to make you my personal slave tonight! As such, you will need the energy to keep up with my relentless demands!"

"That I can believe!" Jeiko replied. "I've been you and Peorth's slave in the bedroom ever since I married you two!"

"But tonight, you are to be only MY slave!" Urd smiled naughtily activating her Speech Control to take over Jeiko's will. "You will serve me and do everything I demand of you like a good little pleasure slave! It will please me!"

"It will please you..." Jeiko replied dazedly.

"Now my slave, get some food in you and then come to the bedroom where I, Urd the former queen of Hell, and your lovely mistress await your servitude and loyalty to me!"

"Yes, Mistress Urd. I will eat and come to bed to serve you... as your slave..."

Giggling playfully, Urd snorted.

"Hmph! You claim to be one of the strongest warriors in Heaven, and yet you go from 'Great Warrior' to 'Lowly Man-Slave' all due to my Speech Control magic! That is pathetic! YOU are pathetic! Well whatever, as long as you are submissive to me, then I guess it doesn't matter". It was at that moment that the phone on Urd's desk ran and with some reluctance, she snapped her fingers, releasing her captive from his spell. "Hello, Urd speaking?" she said and she listened a few seconds before holding the phone out to Jeiko. "It's Lind" she said sourly. "She says it's urgent". Jeiko shook his head as he took the phone.

"Yes?" he said and listened as Lind told him exactly what was going on. "She's done WHAT? Are you sure?" There were several more moments as he listened and then he sighed. "Understood" he said and putting the phone down.

"Well?" Urd asked. Jeiko gave him a grim look.

"I'll be back" he said simply, before turning and leaving the room. He wasn't back until morning.

8888

Jago woke to the sound of a series of heavy thumps as someone beat on his front door.

"PALADIN! PALADIN, WAKE UP!" Grumbling Jago rolled out of bed, checking the clock on his bedside table and snarled when he realised that it read three twenty-seven in the morning.

"Waz up?" Lamb said sleepily as she emerged from her room, wearing nothing but an almost see-through nighty, while Damascus materialised behind her Master.

"Not the foggiest" the devil snarled, "but it had better be good!" Jago nodded in agreement, snatching an ancient eight bore elephant gun from its rack in the hall, before heading down the stairs, stopping just before the door, holding the gun in the crook of one arm.

"Who is it?" he called out.

"It's Jeiko!" he heard. "Now let me in! There's an emergency!" Jago growled to himself and flung open the door to see a rain and snow soaked Jeiko stood on his doorstep. The Earth spirit looked exhausted but there was an urgency in his eyes.

"Jeiko? In the name of all that is sacred and holy, what are you doing here at this hour?" The Earth spirit didn't answer and Jago realised that he was staring over his shoulder… at Lamb and the nighty. He sighed and snapped his fingers in front of his friend's face, drawing his attention. "Eyes front soldier!" he said. "Now, what's so damn important that-"

"It's Temeraire" Jeiko said simply, cutting Jago dead.

"What's happened?"

"She's gone off. Certainly to Jötunheim and probably after Trenzilore. I was just there and I found her trail but I lost it when I tried to follow it". He paused, a note of fear in his eyes. The fear of a father. "Jago, she's taken Yukio with her… and Kitara. The three of them are going to try and find Trenzilore on their own".

**Authors Note: Took me a while but it's finally done. Now if I could just get rid of the damn viruses on my PC then I'd be sitting pretty! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 9 **

**A meeting with the Jötunns **

**Or **

**What Happened in Copenhagen **

Rewind about six hours. Temeraire is sitting across from Hervar, not sure what to do.

"Well don't look at me" he brother said, casually playing with one of his rubix cubes. "This is all on your head".

"I know, I know!" his older sister said, shaking her head in dismay. "That's the problem… I've royally screwed myself over here!" She paused, glancing disapprovingly as her brother continued to click his rubix cube. "Must you play with that thing? It's incredibly distracting".

"It helps me to concentrate" Hervar said, continuing to click the cube around.

"Well they irritate me" Temmy said. "I can never solve more than two sides of the puzzle without fucking the damn thing up". Hervar shrugged and put the cube down on his desk before turning back to her.

"Regardless, I'm not sure what I can do to help you. Mum's the Skipper and you know how hard it is to get her to change her mind once it's made up. As for Dad… he's always been on your side, even after Copenhagen but there's no way he can change Mum's mind and I doubt he'll have any kind of missions for you anytime soon. Besides, I think he's gone back to Earth for the moment, so who knows when he'll be back".

"And here I am, confined to Bastion until further notice… I don't mean to do the things I do. I can only guess that when I was conceived, perhaps a little of Jupiter snuck in too". She tapped her short fangs thoughtfully, emphasizing her point. "I mean, I got these from Damascus and Lamb's eyes, so why not Jupiter's berserker tendencies?"

"True… I suppose it's possible" Hervar admitted. Neither he nor Temeraire had ever seen the true power of the famed Papa Jupiter or his light orientated counterpart, Brother Pluto but they had heard the stories of their phenomenal power and unstable and manipulative personalities, about how Jupiter had punched out Gandamak, even after the dragon had defeated the rest of his attackers with little trouble. If Temeraire really did have that kind of power…

"I mean, it's not like I mean to do those things I do… I get like a red vale over my eyes and just go for it and then POOF! I'm back to normal and in a whole heap of trouble once more!" Hervar shrugged.

"Well I'm not sure what to say…"

"It's alright for you" Temmy said bitterly. "You're the hero of the hour! You saved every damn angel and demon, all while I was laid out flat after trying to attack Jeiko…"

"Well if I can offer an opinion" Peppermint said, emerging from her Master and floating down beside him to perch on the edge of his desk. "You are spending far too much time looking to the past. What you should really be doing is worrying about what you're going to do next. Most likely, you're going to be given another chance but by my reckoning, it'll probably be your last one".

"So what should I do?" the young Valkyrie asked, cocking her head to the angel.

"Well, perhaps you should consider the best way to prove that you can perform a mission WITHOUT getting anyone killed or injured. You did well on Avalon but the Games kinda cancelled it out so you'll have to be fairly sneaky as to what you try next…" The Arch paused, resting her hand on her knuckles, frowning. "It would be easier if Trenzilore weren't such an issue. As it is, Mistress Lind wouldn't let you near a mission and it's unlikely that Master Jago would be likely to let you off your leash with that murdering psycho on the loose. Now he was out of the picture…" The green eyed angel paused, as it was clear that Temmy had zoned out.

"Yeah" she muttered. "With him out of the picture…"

"Don't you bloody dare!" Hervar said, glaring at his sister as she snapped back to the present. "You are NOT going after that guy on your own!"

"But think about it!" Temeraire said. "If I can at least _find_ Trenzilore and the Oracle-"

"But what if they find you?" Peppermint demanded, beginning to wish that she hadn't ever mentioned it. "Last time you two met, he tried to KILL you! Besides, there's no way that either of our parents would agree to this!"

"But what if they don't know?" Temeraire asked. "Think about it; if I can track down Trenzilore and then report his location to Dad and the Guardians then he'll know that I'm mission-ready! And this won't be like Mum's attack on Tobruk. All I'm gonna do is sneak into Jötunheim, find Trenzilore and get out! I can be there and back and he'll never know it!"

"What about the Oracle?" Hervar demanded. "If she's who they say she is, then you can't be sure of what kind of powers she has. Heck, what if she IS an Oracle? She might see you coming and then-"

"Hervar, Peppermint, my mind is made up" Temeraire said stubbornly. "I'm going to find Trenzilore and prove that I'm ready for missions. Yes, I know it isn't wise but then none of my decisions ever really make sense. All I can do is try". Hervar sighed, shaking his head.

"This is extremely unwise" he said and raised his head to look at her with a frown. "You do realise that to get there, you'll have to convince the Bifrost Gate to take you and because Jeiko's not there, Peorth will want to know exactly who and why someone passed through… and when she asks me, I won't be able to lie to her".

"Then don't" Temmy said simply. "All I need is a head-start. Nobody will know I'm gone until I'm there and by then it'll be too late. There's no way that anyone can catch me once I get moving… you know that". Hervar shook his head doubtfully.

"Well if you think you have to go, then I'm not going to stop you…"

"…but it should be noted that NEITHER of us think that this is a good idea!" Peppermint said, finishing her Master's sentence. Then the pair of them gasped as Temeraire hugged them both.

"Thanks guys!" she said, grinning at them both and then turned, hurrying from the control room.

"Did you really have to go putting ideas in her head?" Hervar asked, turning on Peppermint who shrugged.

"I was just speaking what you were thinking. At this point, finding Trenzilore is just about the only thing that could redeem Temmy and… well…."

"Alright, I get the point" Hervar said. "Let's just hope she doesn't get herself killed!"

8888

Temeraire moved cautiously through the forest that surrounded Heaven, not wanting to be caught. Under her current punishment, she wasn't even supposed to be outside, having been confined to Bastion until further notice. However, she had managed to slip out and while she had been followed by a platoon of Valkyries, they had failed to catch up to her. Now though, she had another task. She needed to get to get to Jötunheim and the best way to do that was to borrow the Bifrost Gate. That was why she was in the woods; she was heading to the home of Bifrost. It was as she approached a clearing in the forest that she saw her quarry. The Gate was located in the centre of the clearing, reclining on thin air, holding a large book in her cloak-arms but she paused and glanced around as she sensed the approaching Valkyrie.

"I can guess what you're planning and I have to say that it's a stupid plan" she said, licking the edge of her cloak and flicking a page of her book.

"How do you know?" Temmy asked, emerging from the woods. "I haven't done anything yet".

"But you're your mother's daughter" the Gate said, leaning back to look at her in an upside-down kind of way. "She was just like you are but not quite so stupid".

"That last bit was unnecessary" Temeraire said, scowling and the Gate shrugged as she rotated around to face her properly.

"Sorry, I meet lots of people but few of them ever stop to chat… I have few social skills". She shook her head apologetically. "Sorry, I don't mean to be rude". Temeraire shrugged, as the Gate cocked her head, wondering about something. "You do realise that if you use me to try and get anywhere, you'll only be able to get to Earth. I'm the Bifrost gate, not an all access passage".

"I know" Temeraire said with a shrug and then nodded at the book that the Gate was still holding. "What's that anyway? Looks old".

"It's a copy of the Encyclopaedia Britannica; a first edition. It took Jeiko forever to find me a copy but- GOD DAMN IT!" the Gate shouted, because while she was distracted, Temmy had swiped her thumb across her solitary booster, shooting forwards and placing her hand on the Gate's forehead. The Gate went fuzzy for a second as her internal programming was warped and reworked and then she snapped back to normal, rubbing her head at the splitting migraine that was developing there.

"Where the fuck did you learn to hack Gates?" Bifrost demanded. "That hurt like Hell! It was like someone was trying to take me apart with a chainsaw from the INSIDE!"

"Sorry" Temeraire said, wincing in sympathy. "Lamb taught me but only the basics and I thought it would be best to leave your safety on, just in case I touched something I shouldn't have". The Gate growled and shook her head.

"Well next time, ASK before hacking me would you? My head is killing me and I can't see straight!" Then she paused, running an internal diagnostic. "Jötunheim? Seriously? That's where you want to go? Are you mad?!"

"Probably" Temeraire said with a shrug. "But now, if you don't mind…" The Gate glared but nodded, fishing her key from her back and tossing it to her.

"Get on with it!" she said and Temeraire nodded, slotting the key into Bifrost's chest. The Gate gave a gasp of ecstasy and with a blinding flash, she morphed into her portal form; a glowing blue ring of runes that pulsed slowly as Temmy watched it. "Ok, I'm open now. Now GET ON WITH IT! MY ARSE IS FREEZING!" Temeraire nodded and quickly summoned her halberd, slinging the heavy weapon over her shoulder, preparing to step through the Gate. Just before she did however, she heard a shout.

"TEMMY! STOP!" Temeraire paused and turned back to see Kitara and Yukio hurrying towards her.

"WAIT TEMMY!" Yukio shouted as they pulled up just short of her and the younger goddess bent over double, panting. "You… can't… go!" she gasped between breaths.

"She has a point" Kitara said. "You're about to step into an entirely hostile world. Your dad might be the technical King but the Jötunns are still independent and extremely hostile".

"Not to mention the Forgotten Army!" Yukio said, having finally caught her breath. Temeraire shook her head in dismissal.

"Look you two, I'm going and there's nothing you can do to stop me" she said. "If you try, you both know that I can kick your arses three ways from Sunday so-"

"We're not trying to stop you" Kitara said, summoning up her cavalry hammer and hooking the rear spike over her shoulder, "we're coming with you". Temeraire looked astonished.

"What?"

"Well we can't exactly let you go alone" Yukio said, "and there's no way we're going to be able to change your mind, so we might as well come with you".

"Besides; if you got killed and your mum found out that we knew that you were going, then SHE would kill us!" Kitara said with a grin. Temeraire smiled and grinned at both her friends, before pulling them into a tight hug.

"Thanks guys!" she said.

"Uh, hello?" Bifrost said. "I don't know if you've notice but I'm still open here and it's FREEZING on the other side of me! Are you going or not?" Temmy paused and glanced at Kitara, who winked at her and then at Yukio who nodded and reached under her cloak, unslinging here enormous spanner, hefting it like a club.

"Alright… let's do it!" Temeraire said.

"Finally!"

8888

The trio stepped cautiously into the snows of the frozen world and shivered. As demi-gods, they didn't have a full goddesses complete immunity to the cold but they were a lot more cold resistant than any human. However, this was Jötunheim, the frozen wasteland world, where temperatures NEVER rose above freezing and even with their cold resilience, they had to admit it was fucking freezing.

"So, do you have a plan?" Kitara asked, shouting above the howling of the blizzard that whipped her ponytail about her face.

"We should start by trying to find someone who knows the terrain. They might know a good place to start".

"Any suggestions?" Yukio asked, shielding her face from the snow.

"Well my dad said something about a Ghosthawk going missing. Now if it's been shot down, which it probably has, then it seems likely that the Forgotten Army did it and it must be somewhere near to where they're hiding. If we can find it then there's a good chance we can find their hiding place".

"But how would we find something like that?" Yukio asked. "Your dad has all kinds of things searching for it. If they haven't found it then-"

"But the Jotunns will probably know where to find it" Kitara said and Temeraire nodded. Since their defeat in the Kronos War, the Jötunns had lost most of their human supplied weapons. As such, they were always on the lookout for things to scavenge. They knew the location of every wreck on this planet and as such, asking them was a sensible, if risky strategy.

"Exactly" Temeraire asked. "We find a Jötunn and ask him. He'll probably know where to start".

"But isn't that incredibly dangerous?" Yukio asked nervously.

"Yep" Temeraire said simply. "If you want to stay here or even go back that's fine but-"

"Not a chance!" Yukio said. "I'm sticking to you pair, come Hell or high water!" The other two grinned and nodded.

"Good" they said and then they turned back into the storm.

"So which way?" Kitara asked.

"Well, I think that the Jötunberg is that way" Temmy said, point off down a valley. "But there's no bridge in this part of the mountains. We'll have to take the pass-road, which is…" she turned and pointed higher up the mountains, where a barely discernible trail was visible, leading up towards the cloud-covered peaks.

"Alright then" Kitara said, shouldering her hammer. "Lead on Mc Duff!"

8888

Now back to the present.

"So this is where they landed?" Jago asked as the storm tried to whip his hat away.

"That's right" Jeiko said, him cloak billowing around him. "I managed to track them a little distance but the storm was too harsh and I lost the tail. Do you think you can find them?" Jago paused and nodded.

"Maybe not me but Damascus can find ANYONE. She is a Nightmare after all". Jeiko nodded and he bowed his head as a sudden gust of wind swept by, blinding him for a second. When he looked back, the devil was crouched on the ground, a short distance away, inspecting the snow.

"Got anything?" he asked as he approached and she nodded.

"Three sets of tracks" she said and then pointed up towards the peaks. "They went that way". Jeiko was impressed. Even with his bionic eye, he couldn't see any evidence of anyone passing through the area. The fact that Damascus could, even after six hours of blizzard was truly remarkable.

"So what's up that way?" Jeiko asked, looking out towards where she had been pointing.

"It's a back road to the Jötunberg" Jago said, squinting through the snow. "A long path but probably the safest". He paused and then turned to Jeiko. "You'd better go back. I know what they're doing and where they're going, so you can go back". Jeiko shook his head.

"You can't go alone. In weather like this-"

"I can travel faster alone" Jago said. "You go back and tell Lind to ready an assault force. If those three actually manage to find the Forgotten Army, then they're going to need all the help they can get". He paused and coughed, the cold playing havoc with his lungs but he waved Jeiko away as the Earth spirit moved to help him. "I'll be alright. You just make sure those reinforcements are ready". Reluctantly Jeiko nodded and he disappeared back through the Gate, leaving Jago alone with Damascus.

"Are you sure it was wise to send him away?" the devil asked as Jago unslung his enormous rucksack, the one that he took whenever he went on a long range mission. "With weather like this and your lungs-"

"Yes, it could very well kill me" Jago said and then clambered INTO the bag, it being much bigger on the inside, thanks to a borrowed space-doubler of Skuld's. "But this is our DAUGHTER Damascus. We can't let the her and her friends get killed though stupidity". With that, he remerged, dragging a kayak and a paddle behind him. "Now, any more questions?" The devil sighed and shook her head, disappearing back inside her Master, while clambered aboard the small boat.

"_Overall, this is a bad idea_" she said bitterly from inside him.

"_I concur"_ Lamb agreed and Jago shrugged.

"Well we all have to go some time" he said. With that, used the paddle to push off down the slope, quickly building up speed as the boat skimmed along the surface of the snow. The girls had a six hour start on him but he would be traveling faster. Just as well really. He needed to make a stop before the Jötunberg and he almost wasn't in time…

8888

"So that's the Jötunberg?" Yukio asked as they looked down from the high mountain trail.

"I think so" Temeraire said.

"Really? What a dump!" Kitara said with a snort of disdain as they began the slow descent towards the fortress. Indeed, the ancient castle did look like it had seen better days. Once, the Jötunberg hand been the mightiest fortress in all of creation; a towering edifice of basalt and granite that had stretched from the flat plateau on which it was built, all the way up to well over thirty-thousand feet in height, at the top of its highest towers and sprawling across several dozen miles. Now however, the once mighty fortress had been almost levelled during the final battle between the combined allied forces of Heaven, Hell and Earth and the remnants of the Praetorian Guard and Surtr's hordes of Jötunns. The battle had been brutal but as powerful as their foes were, with the full military might of the United Nations behind them, the Praetorians and Jötunns had been outgunned by the allied forces. And once their foes had been defeated, they had set about levelling the castle, so now, most of the structure was little more than a ruin.

"Are you sure this is a good place to find Jötunns?" Yukio asked, looking down doubtfully at the ruin. "I mean, it seems deserted". The other two shared a look and then both shrugged.

"I guess… we can't know unless we go and take a look" Temmy said and slowly, she led their descent towards the castle. It took nearly an hour to reach the plateau that stretched up to the base of the ancient fortress and almost as long to cross it to the ancient walls. Along the way however, they saw signs of just how brutal the battle had been. Here and there, lay snow drifts but upon closer inspection, many were discovered to actually be the rusted skeletons of burnt out vehicles, both human and Jötunn, which had been abandoned following the end of the war, as the humans lacked the time to recover any of their vehicles, while the Jötunns lacked the knowledge and equipment. But it wasn't just vehicles out here as they tried to climb atop another snowdrift. Yukio, being the slowest and of the youngest build of the three, despite her actual age being slightly greater than her friend's, was struggling in the rough terrain and as such, was the last one up the drift on which the other two had stopped to check the terrain. It was as the young goddess was struggling up the pile that she heard a rattle as her foot kicked something hidden beneath the snow. She thought nothing of it until she heard a snap and realised what she had just stepped on. She screamed.

"YUKIO!" Temeraire shouted and was beside her friend in seconds, her halberd in hand but seeing no threat, she stowed her weapon and turned to see what had happened. "What is it?" she asked. Yukio didn't answer, simply pointed and both Temmy and Kitara saw what it was she had stood on; it was a bone. A rib to be exact. And now that they looked closely, they realised exactly what they were standing on. It was a vast pile of bones, picked clean and made brittle by the bitter cold. Worse, many of them showed signs of having been gnawed…

"Figures" Kitara said, spitting into the snow. "The Jötunns are notorious cannibals. This is probably where they dumped the bodies after they had finished with them… and from what we were told, there must a been a butt-load of bodies after the battle". Slowly, the three of them descended the bone mountain, being careful not to disturb any more of them, lest the pile collapse. From there, they head straight towards the citadel… only to find it empty.

"I don't get it" Temeraire said. "I know that they bombed the place but that was thirty years ago! I would have thought that there were at least SOME Jötunns here".

"Well this place seems pretty dead to me" Kitara said, shifting nervously as they headed deeper into the ruins of the castle. Everywhere they went, there was evidence of fighting; bullet scarred walls, shattered stone, in some sheltered places, the dark smears of blood which still stained the stone all these years later. But _no people_. Not so much as a blind, insane old hermit. They were on the verge of giving up, when quite by chance, they stumbled across something they hadn't expected to see find… the throne room. Unlike much of the fortress, it had survived relatively intact, despite the bombing which had followed the attack.

"So this is where Surtr used the rule this world?" Kitara asked, looking around fearfully. In fact, all three of them were nervous. The high vaulted chamber was intimidating, even in its state of disrepair, with broken columns and the shattered glass of display cases scattered across the ground.

"I think so" Temeraire said. "But it looks like this place has been abandoned too". She paused and sighed. "You know, I think this place might have been completely abandoned". She paused and looked painfully at the other two. "Sorry girls but it looks like this place is a dead end".

"So now what do we do?" Kitara asked.

"Well perhaps you two could tell me what THOSE are?" Yukio asked. The other two turned rapidly to see something… a pair of glowing red orbs, their origin hidden in the shadows of the shattered room. "I think we should leave" the wish-granter whispered and started backing towards the door as the vague scent of rotten meat started to fill the room but she suddenly bumped into a soft but extremely cold object. She looked up… into the bearded face of a Jötunn and she screamed, causing the other two to whip around. The giant didn't move, simply stood and glared at them, its red eyes glowing in the pale light of the room, his huge, scarred body stinking of sweat and rancid flesh. And beside him, others began to appear. They came in ones and twos, appearing silently from the shadows, almost like ghosts. Some were bearded, some were clean shaven. Some were only six or seven feet tall, while overs were closer to twenty. All were naked, aside from a filthy loin-cloth, each with a massive bone-bladed knife, some as long as a sword for any normal person stowed within. And each silent, but glaring.

"I think we're in trouble" Kitara whispered but Temeraire didn't answer, simply lowered her halberd.

"So do you have a plan?" Yukio asked, desperately clutching at her spanner, hoping she wouldn't have to use it.

"I don't know; I'm thinking" Temmy said, hoping to buy some time. But then a voice cut through the dark, snarling like a wolf, rumbling like an waterfall.

"You are brave to come to this place at this hour… has the name of the Jötunns really carry so little weight that three young goddesses think that they can trespass into my realm without my leave?" the three whirled around, turning to see another giant emerge from the darkness… a different one. He was about ten feet tall, his dark blue skin hidden beneath a rough tunic of deer hide and wearing a battered brass crown and with a once beautiful sword, now tarnished beyond all recognition on his hip.

"We have come to see the Master of this realm" Temeraire said, trying to put as much authority as possible into her voice. "If you could direct us to-"

"Why have you come?" the giant demanded, glaring at them and folding his arms across his chest. "You have no business here".

"We were hoping to find the Lord of this place so that we could ask him for his help. We seek-"

"Who are you?" the giant demanded, glaring at them as he approached. "I know that you can't be full goddesses; you smell wrong. No… you're all demi-gods and young ones at that. So who are you? Who are your parents? Well? Speak up!" The three of them shared a glanced and Temeraire gave a nod.

"I'm Kitara, daughter of Lady Peorth and Lord Sukaru".

"So you're Sukaru's girl? Now that doesn't surprise me. He never did have any taste in women". The giant then turned on Yukio who cringed back. "What about you?" Yukio muttered something but the giant didn't catch it, so he growled. "SPEAK GIRL! OR MUST I CUT OUT YOUR TONGUE?" Yukio quailed in fear, but Temeraire moved to protect her friend, putting herself between the giant and her friend.

"Her name is Yukio. She's Keiichi and-"

"Belldandy's girl? Well I never!" The giant chuckled in mirth, apparently finding this amusing. "And what of you girl?" he said, rounding on Temeraire. "Who are you?"

"Temeraire Lind-daughter" she said, glaring up at the giant, who's eyes went wide. Not with shock though. More… understanding? Recognition? Something else? Who knew?

"So you're Temeraire? I've heard of you" he growled. He moved towards her and lifted her chin with a foul smelling finger to inspect her face. "So this is what happens when the Almighty One and the Paladin spawn a child? A half-breed girl, who gets her parent's friends killed in battle?" This last bit was said with a sneer and he flicked aside Temeraire's chin, turning to speak to the rest of the giants. "You all know this girl… the one who managed to kill one of Heaven's best through stupidity and pride!" The other giants chuckled as he turned back to her, his red eyes burning bright. "How is your father anyway? It has been more than thirty years since I last saw the Paladin. I hear that he isn't doing so well…" Temeraire looked confused, not understanding what he meant but then Kitara moved to intercept the giant, grasping her cavalry hammer in both hands.

"Alright, so you know our names. Now perhaps you can help us". The giant glared at her, his eyes burning with cold fury.

"Do not disrespect me girl. You think yourself a Valkyrie but you are barely more than a child… and out here, in my world, you are a LONG way from home". Kitara matched the giant's glare, sizing each other up but then the giant chuckled, baring his tomb-stone like teeth. "Where are my manners?" he said and with a flourish, he swept off his battered crown and gave a low, mocking bow. "Allow me to introduce myself; I am Lord Surtr, High King of Jötunheim". He stood once more and turned away, moving towards a raised dais in the centre of the room; the place where a throne had once stood. Now however, it was simply a raised space of stepped rock and he took a seat upon the top stair, leaning forward, resting his chin on his fist. "Now tell me, why would three such… valuable young goddesses come to my kingdom? Have you come to mock me perhaps? To laugh at the defanged beast? Or are you here for some other purpose?"

"We have come seeking information" Temeraire said, taking the lead. "We are searching for something that is lost and we hoped that you might be able to help us".

"What are you searching for?" the giant inquired, his eyes narrowing.

"It is simple; we are seeking Trenzilore".

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The room filled with growled rumbles as the giants snarled and gnashed their teeth, while Surtr's eyes narrowed.

"Be careful of what you speak girl. You do not know what you would unleash… but I do. Go now, while I still allow it!" With that, the giant stood and turned away, preparing to leave.

"Wait!" Temeraire called out. "You can't leave yet! You-"

"We have no contact with either Trenzilore or his treacherous ilk" Surtr spat. "We severed all connections with them after they abandoned us to fight your father's alliance on our own".

"But you must know where they are!" Temeraire demanded. "There is no race in the universe who know this world better than the Jötunns! You-"

"Oh, we know approximately where Trenzilore and his forces are hiding… but we also know that if anyone of ANY race approaches that place, they will be killed".

"So is that what happened to that Ghosthawk?" For the first time, the giant looked confused.

"Ghosthawk? What Ghosthawk?"

"The one that was sent to find Trenzilore. It went missing about a week ago. I you know where it is then-"

"We know nothing of a Ghosthawk going missing" Surtr growled. "Any such aircraft would have been found by now, no matter its location and stripped of useful parts. If such an aircraft had been found then word would surely have reach my ears of the discovery".

"Then perhaps-"

"NO!" the giant bellowed, turning on them, his eyes burning blood red. "YOU HAVE WASTED ENOUGH OF MY TIME! NOW LEAVE! OR PREPARE TO FACE THE CONSEQUENCES!"

"Consequences? What can you do?" Temeraire sneered. "You said so yourself; you're power has been broken Surtr! I do fear you! As such, we will not leave until we have what we came for!" Surtr glared malevolently and then slowly, he glanced first to his giants and then at the three goddesses.

"You think my power is broken?" he demanded, unsheathing his sword and bounding down the stairs, as every other Jötunn in the room, unslung their own weapons. It was the that the trio realised their mistake; many of the Jötunns carried guns. Old and rusted they may have been but these giants had AK-74s, the Ak-47's more accurate and even more reliable brother. How they had managed to keep these weapons was a mystery, as all human weapons had been confiscated from the Jotunns at the end of the war. However, that mattered little at the moment, for the goddesses now found themselves seriously outgunned, as there was no way they would be able to stop ALL of those bullets and continue to fight. And then, as if to make matters worse, Surtr played his trump card. With a roar, he threw down his sword, embedding the blade in the thick rock of the floor and then his roar became a gurgling shriek, as slowly… he GREW. Temeraire, Kitara and Yukio were suddenly faced with a horrifying beast, as Surtr loomed large above them, fifty feet high, his head brushing against the ceiling as he snarled down at them.

"I think… we have a SNAFU" Kitara ventured, to which Yukio gave a confused look.

"SNAFU?" she asked and Temmy nodded.

"Technical Valkyrie term" she said. "Stands for Situation Normal, All Fucked Up".

"Oh…" the wish granter said but then the giant-king spoke once more, his voice sounding like the collision of continents.

"As you can see… our power is weakened but it is not extinguished. You should have heeded my warning before now but for you it is too late…" And then the monstrous creature grinned, baring his fangs. "looks like I can finally fulfil a promise that I made to your mother, during our battle in Heaven" he said, speaking directly to Temeraire.

"And what promise that?" she asked cautiously, readying her halberd for battle.

"I promised Lind… that I would EAT you!" Surtr said with a look of triumph. "TAKE THEM!" he roared and the giants bellowed forward, ready to tear the trio apart. But as luck would have it, fate intervened. Fate in the shape of a dragon.

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With a roar, the dragon came bursting through the wall, showering those within with stone fragments. The giants bellowed in fear and panic, many of them turning their guns of the monster and they opened fire, peppering the beast with bullets. But dragon scales are tough and as many as there were, the round simply dimpled off of its rock-hard hide. In response, the dragon let out a terrifying roar and belched forth a gout of liquid fire, instantly vaporising a score of the giants as a shape dropped form it back and took a stand beside it.

"Enough Gandamak" Jago said, slapping the dragon's hide with his hand and Gandamak settled back, rising up on his haunches to glare at his prey. Now it was Jago's turn to act. "Evening Surtr" he said, all casual like. "It's been a while".

"Paladin!" the giant hissed, glancing from Jago to the dragon and back. "You have no business here Jago! These three-"

"Are under my protection Surtr!" Jago said, unlimbering his elephant gun for emphasis. "I plan to take the out of here".

"These three refused to leave when I demanded it! They must be punished!"

"And they will be" Jago said, glancing at the three of them and then back to Surtr. "But for now, they are coming with me. I do not wish to start a fight here Surtr".

"You dare to say that? In here of all places! You are a fool if you think I will release my prey!" He glared down at Jago, putting as much threat as possible into his words. "I have an _army_ at my back Paladin! Even you cannot defeat the entirety of the Jötunn race on your own!" Jago simply shrugged.

"_I_ have a dragon!" he said and as if on cue, Gandamak roared, scorching the roof with his flame. It was then that Jago decided to take a different tact. "Please Surtr, they are but children; little girls playing at soldiers when they should really never have left home". Kitara and Temmy bristled at this but said nothing. They knew better than to interrupt. "Besides, you may still claim to be the ruler of this realm but I am the King. Or have you forgotten our last battle?" Surtr growled and gnashed his teeth but said nothing. Then, very slowly, he nodded his head.

"Very well _King_ Jago, you may take them. BUT if they ever dare to enter my realm again, I will not be so merciful!" Jago nodded to him and slowly crossed to the three goddesses. He didn't speak. He just jerked his head and lead the way out.

"How angry do you think my dad is?" Temeraire asked in a whisper.

"Somewhere between very and extremely" Kitara ventured. "I think we're in for a one Hell of a chewing out when we get home…"

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WHAT ARE YOU THREE THINKING!?" Jago demanded as they took shelter in Gandamak's cave, waiting out the storm that raged outside. "ARE YOU TRYING TO START ANOTHER WAR AGAISNT THE JÖTUNNS!? ARE YOU PERPOSFULLY TRYING TO GET YOURSELVES KILLED?! WHAT IS WITH YOU THREE!?" The Paladin paused, taking a deep breath as the three goddesses quailed before his wrath. They had never seen Jago this angry before, almost to the point of exploding with rage. Not even Temeraire's attack on Jeiko had made him as angry as he was now. Growling, he rounded on Kitara and Yukio, both of whom shrank back in the face of his anger. "I'm especially disappointed in you two! Temeraire I could expect to do something this stupid but _you two?"_ It was at that moment that Temeraire moved forward, putting herself between Jago and her friends.

"Look, this isn't their fault!"" she shouted, facing down the big man. "This is my fault and my fault alone! It was my plan to come here and talk to Surtr, to try and find Trenzilore! They were just here too-"

"Then you're more of a fool than I thought!" Jago snarled. "You think that Surtr is somebody to be trifled with? I broke his power thirty years ago but he is not someone you simply go to! If it hadn't been for myself and Gandamak, then you three would be dead by now!" There was a snort from the back of the cave as Gandamak shifted his position, turning to face them. He was a true monster; a hundred feet of muscle and sinew, with ten legs and four fifty foot wings, a tail that ended in a retractable blade and a face that was truly monstrous. His jaws were exposed bone, white and shining against his jet-black scales and a mighty tusk stuck out from each cheek, like a hideous blade of some kind, while his head was topped by a single, bronze eye, the size of a plate and ever evil. A true monster of nightmare. An image that was only slightly spoiled by the fact that he was tapping at the keyboard of an ancient laptop which he apparently kept hidden somewhere in the depths of his lair. Apparently, he was a Facebook fan.

"Your father has a point" the dragon rumbled, his voice as deep as the rumble of a freight train. "If not for us, you would most likely have been raped, murdered and eaten… and not necessarily in that order either".

"Thank you… Gandamak" Jago said and then turned back to Temeraire. "As for you; what the fuck are you trying to prove girl? Are you TRYING to get yourself killed? Or are you just too stubborn to know when to give up? You attack Jeiko, one of my oldest and closest friends! And then, you drag not only yourself but you cousin and another girl into the middle of the most hostile world in all of existence, searching for the most dangerous terrorist since Deaderuss himself! What exactly are you trying to do?"

"I thought" she said slowly and quietly, "that if I could find Trenzilore and then report his position back to you, then perhaps you would see that I AM capable of working on my own!"

"Well a fine job you did of that!" Jago said. "I have no illusions or doubts about your powers Temeraire; I am loath to admit it but you are at least as powerful as any First Class goddess I have ever met. However, you have the maturity of someone a third your age! You have no self-control! And sometimes, I think that you're just plain stupid!" He paused and took a deep breath, shaking his head. "Right, I'm sorry to do this but here it goes; when we get back to Heaven, I'm going to recommend to Valmeyar that you be permanently removed from the Valkyries. You clearly can't be trusted, not even with your own life, never mind the lives of others!" Temeraire's blood ran cold and she went pale all over.

"Bu-but you can't!" she said, gasping. "I-I've worked my whole life to become a Valkyrie! You can't just-"

"I can and I am" Jago said. "I'm sorry but I just don't have enough faith in you anymore Temeraire. I can't risk another Copenhagen". Temeraire looked as if she was about to burst into tears as her two friends rushed forward to support her.

"But you can't!" Kitara said, glaring up at him. "I won't let you!"

"We came of our own free will!" Yukio snapped. "If-"

"ENOUGH!" Jago boomed, his eyes flashing red for a second as Jupiter threatened to break through. "You two think I am that much of a fool? I doubted that Temeraire would CHOOSE for you to come along. However, beyond getting you back to Heaven alive and in one piece, you two aren't my concern. If your parents wish to punish you, then I leave that up to them". With that, he turned away and glanced out of the mouth of the cave, to the storm that swirled around the mountain. "I can't call a Gate in this weather; it'll be impossible for her to get a lock on us. As such, I'll wait until morning before we head back". He paused and glanced back at them. "I'm going to go and catch us something to eat. You three are to stay here until I get back. You'll be safe; no-body dares to come near the lair of Gandamak. I'll see you later". With that, he set off, disappearing into the swirling whiteness that was the snows of Jötunheim. It was only when he was out of sight that Temeraire sank down, weeping at what had been said. The other two stooped and helped her up, depositing her against the wall of the cave but they knew that they wouldn't be able to talk to her for a while. For thirty years, Temeraire had fought to become a full Valkyrie. Now, it seemed likely that that would never come to pass. She had failed…

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"So what's she going to do now?" Yukio asked as she and Kitara sat opposite one-another, a fire in between the pair of them, glancing across at Temeraire. The poor girl had cried herself to sleep and was sat with her knees drawn up to her chest, still against the wall of the cave. Gandamak had also fallen asleep and the whole place reverberated with the deep rumblings of his breath. Kitara meanwhile, simply shook her head, tossing a twig into the fire.

"I honestly don't know" she said softly. "Temeraire has always been trying to become a Valkyrie. Now that's gone… well, who knows?" She shook her head, sighing at her sleeping friend. "It's not like she can easily swap careers; a Valkyrie's job is for life. Once you start, it's almost impossible to leave". It was a long pause and then she shook her head again. "I can understand why Jago did what he did but… WHY? It doesn't seem fair! I mean, it's not like his past his history is too hard to find out. Ex-drug dealer, acquitted of murder, street-fighter, the lot! And it's not like Lind was much better! After what happened with Tobruk-" She stopped suddenly, aware of the sleeping dragon off to the side. "I mean, that is as bad as this! So why is Jago being so hard on her? I suppose there's the whole Copenhagen thing" but that was years ago!" Her voice faded into silence and silence remained, aside from the crackling of the flames and the steady rumble of the dragon's breath. That was of course, until Yukio spoke up.

"Um… if you don't mind me asking… what actually HAPPENED in Copenhagen? I mean, I keep hearing about it and most of the older goddesses know about it but whenever I try and access the file on Yggdrasil, I get locked out. So-"

"I'm not sure that it's my story" Kitara said, glancing at a sleeping Temeraire but Yukio looked at her imploringly.

"Please Kitara. I mean, it's not exactly like anyone is ever going to know". And so, with a final sigh, Kitara nodded and so the tale was told. The story of the kaiju attack on Copenhagen and the start of Temeraire's fall from grace.

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Chrono hovered at five-hundred feet above the bay, her eyes fixed on the horizon, searching for any sign of their quarry. She turned however and smiled as her young Apprentice came to hover beside her.

"Hey Temmy" she said. "Are you ready?" Temeraire nodded, gripping her halberd in both hands, grinning eagerly.

"I'm ready" she said and Chrono nodded.

"Good. How about the rest of them? Are the Guardians in position?"

"Yes ma'am! The gunboats are in position and the Danes have dispatched their fighters. We'll have air-support within the hour! There's no way those kaiju are breaking through our lines!" Chrono nodded and then turned her attention back to the sea, looking out across the water. It was three years before the present day and there had been a recent spate of attacks by kaiju, gigantic monsters that came from the sea and invaded the land, all across the world. Not only were the attacks increasing in frequency but the monsters were growing rapidly in both size and power, becoming a major threat to the populations of Earth. As such, Lind had authorised Jago to take a handful of the Valkyries to bolster the overstretched Guardians and human militaries. And it was on one of these missions that both Chrono and Temeraire now found themselves. Chrono was older now and had filled out somewhat, becoming one of the most powerful Valkyries in Heaven. True, she was no match for her own Mistress, for that was Lind but she was well respected and had earned herself the overall command of Heaven's Auxiliaries, as well as the privilege of training the Almighty's own daughter. However, she had been out of action for the last few months; she had become pregnant with Bob's child and had been forced to take some time off as Maternity leave. Now however, she was back in action and eager to get to grips with her foes. Temeraire on the other hand, was nervous . This was her first combat mission and her job was to cover Chrono's back, in the event of something going wrong. As such, she licked her lips nervously as she saw the first of the mighty wakes that marked the approach of the first kaiju.

"Ready?" Chrono asked, a spark of excitement in her eyes and Temeraire nodded. "GOOD!" her Mistress beamed and summoned up her poleaxe, grasping the heavy weapon in one hand. "Well, you know the plan! I'll deal with these ass-bags while you hold the miracle mile! So long as we keep those things away from the city, we'll be ok!" With that, she gave Temeraire a wink and zoomed off, leaving her young Apprentice hovering. Little did she know, that today would be her last.

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There were two kaiju currently approaching the city, two of the largest that had ever been seen. Each kaiju was different from the last, with each resembling a different creature and as such, they were divided into several rough categories, depending on size, power and danger level. The smallest, known as the Category Ones, were approximately two-thousand tons in weight and tended to be fairly easy to kill. In fact, you could keep one at bay with a handful of jets and assault ships if you needed to. At the other end of the scale, there were the Category Fives; huge monsters of more than ten-thousand tons and many hundreds of feet long. Nothing short of a direct hit from an orbital strike or the direct intervention of the Paladin himself had ever been able to turn back a Category Five once it got on the move. These ones weren't quite that size; they were large Category Fours, approximately eight to nine-thousand tons apiece and while they were dangerous, as a full Valkyrie Captain, not to mention with her powers tripled via her pregnancy, Chrono should have been more than a match for them. Famous last words.

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Chrono stopped just above the surface of the ocean, hovering above the water, searching for her prey. And there it was. Like a wall of water, rising to the surface, there came the monstrous head of the lead kaiju, codenamed Reaper. It was immense. The creature was the weight Ticonderoga class cruiser and more than four-thousand feet long, with a head shaped like a downward pointing scythe and an immense set of dagger-sharp fangs. It rose to the surface, its eight huge, clawed hands stretching above the surface and blotting out the sun, as it let out a deep, shrieking roar of challenge.

"OI! FUGLY! DOWN HERE!" Chrono shouted, waving her arms to attract the creature's attention and Reaper looked down, snarling at the tiny thing that threatened it. "YEAH YOU! I'M TALKING TO YOU! YOU WANT THIS CITY, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH ME!" Reaper snorted, shaking its head and reached down to swat the tiny pest. Chrono moved faster however and shot forward, hacking at the beast's arm with her poleaxe, spattering herself with deep blue blood. The monster bellowed in pain and swiped with amazing speed, swatting Chrono aside with a growl. Chrono however was back up again in a second, grinning like a fool. "HEY! IT'S NOT NICE TO HIT A LADY!" she shouted and she launched another attack, leaping up the monster's front, slicing at it with her halberd as she went. All around her, the sea turned blue as the monster's blood flowed down, mixing with the ocean below, staining the surface. It was going to be a slow demise, a death by a thousand cuts but Chrono was ready for that, fighting hard to drive the beast back. A slice of her axe here, a blast of fire there and soon the creature would fall. It was then however, that she sensed the second one; the kaiju known as Slamhound. This one was smaller, being only about eight-thousand tons and shaped like a huge crocodile, that walked on a sort of tripod arrangement beneath its body, while two large arms stretched from its back. Sensing the danger, Chrono called out her angel, Heart of Stirling Silver and set her to work.

"Mistress?"

"Silver, take out Slamhound! Don't let it near the city!" Heart of Stirling Silver nodded and she shot away, tackling the monster from behind, putting her entire Valkyrie's strength into the attack, driving the beast down. With that, she went to work, both with her fists and with magic, hacking, slashing and tearing at the mighty beast. Between them, the pair were holding their own. In fact, it almost seemed too easy. It was then however, that they sensed the third kaiju. The one they had been waiting for. Berserker.

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Temeraire watched in fascination as Chrono and her angel went to work on the two kaiju, hacking the one know as Reaper apart, while Heart of Stirling Silver held back the Slamhound, driving it back through sheer force of will. However, there was something… wrong. She could sense something. True, these two kaiju were about as powerful as they came but, there was _SOMETHING_ else out there, out in the bay. And then she saw it; the third wake. Another kaiju. It was moving quickly around her mentor's flank, looking to encircle her. There was only one thing she could do.

"Gunboats, this is Temeraire" she called out over her loadstone radio, one of the few devices that could connect to anything, in any world. "Chrono's about to be outflanked! I'm moving on an intercept course!"

"_Belay that_!" the Captain of one of the boats replied. "_You're supposed to hold the_-"

"Look, I can't just sit here and let her get killed! Stay here and cover me!" With that, she took off, streaking towards the third monstrosity. And in the process, she condemned her Mistress to death.

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Berserker resembled no known creature. Somewhere between a huge, scaly minotaur and a three-tailed walrus, it weighed in excess of fifteen-thousand tons, putting it squarely in the Category Five class. This was the beast that Chrono had been waiting for; the true challenge. Now all she had to do was disengage and –

"AYO VALKYIRE!" Temeraire screamed, roaring past her to collide solidly with the third kaiju, knocking the beast backward.

"TEMERAIRE!" Chrono shouted but her Apprentice couldn't hear her, being too busy laying into the Berserker to listen. While she was distracted however, the beast known as Reaper reached down and swatted her, sending Chrono spinning down into the ocean. From there, the beast began to stomp her, trampling her beneath its behemoth feet in its efforts to extinguish her. Trapped as she was, beneath the feet of this great monster, she could only do one thing; she sent a message to her angel.

"_SILVER! HELP TEMERAIRE!"_

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Berserker roared in fury as it swatted ineffectively at Temeraire. She was simply too fast. With a yell, she slammed her halberd into one of the beast's fingers and used it as a swing, sliding between the index finger and the thumb, to land on the back of Berserker's hand. There, she dug her weapon down, jamming it into the artery that ran up the inside of the thumb, staining herself blue as the foul ichor pulsed forth. The monster trumpeted in pain and made to swat her with its other hand but she jammed the rear-spike of her weapon deep into its hide, while keeping the top-spike pointing skywards, impaling its hand as it came down. The creature bellowed once more and lifted its hand, her halberd still trapped within its flesh and lifting her with it. Temeraire clung on grimly as it started to frantically wave its huge fist, trying to dislodge her. Then however, it leaned forward, intending to yank her weapon free with its teeth. She released her grip on her halberd and dropped, landing on the monster's chin, gripping onto the greasy hair with both hands and feet, as Berserker bit down on her halberd, pulling it from its hand and then crushing it between his teeth. Temeraire shook her head and started to scramble upward, hand over hand, grasping her khukuri between her teeth as she went until finally, she came to the monster's vast left eye.

"'Ello chum!" she said and with a shout, she jammed the blade deep into the soft tissue, ripping it apart. The Berserker roared once more, trying to dislodge her but she clung on, repeatedly stabbing, blinding the monster as she tore through the delicate membrane. It was then however, that she felt the thump from bellow and the creature started to collapse backwards.

"GET OUT OF HERE YOU FOOL!" Heart of Stirling Silver shouted as she pulled Temeraire free from the Berserker's face. "WE'RE ABOUT TO-" The angel never finished the sentence. As she pulled Temeraire clear of the toppling colossus, one of the monster's hands came up and succeeded in grasping her by the wing, dragging her down with it. The last that Temeraire ever saw of her Mistress's angel was the flash of her silver hair as she disappeared beneath the waves.

"SILVER!" she called out but there was no reply and Temeraire suddenly realised that she was now facing two mighty kaiju on her own; Reaper and Slamhound were regrouping to face her. Both looked battered and bloodied but far from dead. If anything, the pair looked angry. And so, they charged.

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Temeraire fought desperately, trying to hold back the two demons. It was a useless fight however. You can't fight something a million times your size and hope to win. Oh, she did her damage, hacking and tearing through muscle, sinew and bone but against creatures of this size, she was powerless. You cannot fight the mountain… especially not one that can fight back. For all her Valkyrie strength, she was wearing down, unable to keep up with the constant pounding… she was failing.

"Fuck… me!" she panted as she managed to arrest her descent just above the surface of the waves as her two foes loomed large above her. She was battered and bruised, barely able to hover as the pair closed in. But still determined. With a grunt, she lifted her heavy khukuri high, preparing for another round with her colossal foes… only for the surface behind one the Reaper to suddenly explode. It was Chrono who emerged, but not the Chrono that Temeraire knew. This was Chrono unlimited and unfettered, her true form unleashed. She resembled a creature both beautiful and horrifying; a multi-headed, multi-bodied, tentacled dragon of monstrous size, equalling all but the largest of kaiju, gleaming white in the light of day. But this was only a part of her true form, the part that was visible to three-dimensional eyes. Parts of her wafted into and out of focus as she shifted herself through the dimensions, some parts disappearing altogether, only to reappear somewhere else, perhaps somewhere else on her body or maybe somewhere not even connected to herself. She was a spectacular sight, a white angel of destruction; the unleashed form of a full First Class Valkyrie. And in a voice that came from everywhere at once, in every volume and pitch, from a sound as soft as the gentlest breeze, to the rumble of a dying star, she spoke out to her young Apprentice. Two words were all she said:

"GET CLEAR!" Then with a terrific roar, like the sound of the world ending, Chrono charged in, spreading a pair of wings like shattered rainbows and she fell upon her foes, ripping them apart with tooth and claw. Exhausted and battered Temeraire may have been but she made good her escape, slipping between the three battling forms as one of Chrono's tails shot forth, impaling one of the kaiju, while her jaws snapped shut across the torso of another, ripping it asunder in a gory shower of blue. The monsters fought back however and soon, the sea was stained white with the goddesses blood, mixing with the blue stain of the dying monsters. But this was a goddess beyond care; her angel had been destroyed. How she was still standing after something like that was a complete mystery but now, fuelled by a primordial rage that would have terrified even the most sadistic of demons, she ripped her foes asunder, tearing to ribbons. And all Temeraire could do was watch. She had overestimated her strength, trying to challenge the Berserker and this had led to the death of her Mistress's angel, even as Heart of Stirling Silver had tried to save her. It was as the second kaiju fell however, that the final threat arose. Berserker had risen back to the surface. Blinded and enraged, the beast roared its challenge at Chrono who hissed her reply, clacking her mighty jaws together, menacing the bigger beast. But this would be a useless fight. The beast was larger, stronger and faster than she was, while she had been badly injured, both in her human and her true form. Slowly, Chrono turned to face her beaten Apprentice and gave her a long, sad wink. And with that, she turned back to the Berserker. She bellowed, fanning her great wings. And then, using her mind, she contacted the Captain of the lead gunboat.

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"And so then what happened?" Yukio asked. Kitara shook her head, staring into the fire.

"The gunboats were equipped with an experimental kind of long-range cruise missile; something that Skuld had been working on, specifically designed to take down over-sized kaiju. I don't understand the specifics but basically, they ejected their heads in flight, exposing a massive depleted uranium needle that would inject liquid explosives into the body of the kaiju and then detonate it from the inside, blowing them up from the inside". She sighed and spat into the fire, glancing across at Temeraire. "That was Chrono's plan all along; to draw the kaiju into a group and then use the gunboats to pound them while she made her get-away. She knew well enough where all three kaiju were because of her angel; all Valkyrie angels are trained to act as a short range sensor for their goddess, allowing them to spot unseen threats. Temeraire however…"

"She doesn't have an angel and so she didn't know?" Kitara nodded.

"Exactly. She thought she was help when she engaged the Berserker but in actual fact, she was preventing Chrono from escaping. And when Heart of Stirling Silver was lost, well, Chrono pretty much lost it. She survived but the emotional overload was so great that she lost her mind and went on a rampage. By the time that she realised what had happened, she was too far gone to save; if a goddesses true form is damaged, it doesn't heal, which is one of the main reasons that they tend to use the human form whenever possible. Unless they are killed out-right or at least, critically wounded, they can regenerate. The true form doesn't".

"So when she ordered the missile strike…"

"Suicide. Better to die fast, with your jaws locked around your foe, than to slowly bleed to death". They both turned to see that Temeraire was awake and had been listening to the story.

"Temeraire, I-I'm sorry!" Kitara said but Temeraire waved her down.

"It's alright. She deserves to know what happened". She sighed softly and then nodded to Yukio. "Now you understand why I am so despised. I caused one of the most powerful Valkyries in all of Heaven to die… no, I FORCED her to commit suicide!" She shook her head bitterly, tears in her eyes. "All because of my stupidity! I thought I could take on a Category Five kaiju on my own and look what happened! And since then, I've just gotten worse! I attacked Kitara's father, I lead you here, I almost get us EATEN!" She ground her teeth and thumped her fist against the floor of the cave. "WHY DO I KEEP FUCKING UP!?" The other two glanced at one another, not sure how to reply. It was then that they heard a rumble and turned to see the dragon stirring, eyeing them cautiously.

"Sounds to me… like you've been having some trouble with self-control" he hissed and Temeraire couldn't help but snort with mirth.

"No, you don't say!" she said, causing Gandamak to growl.

"Don't you take that tone with me girl!" he snarled. "You are in my home and will show me my due respect. Especially if you want me to help you". All three of them looked stunned. Gandamak? Help them? It seemed impossible!

"How?" Yukio asked and then flinched as the great, copper coloured eye loomed before her.

"Listen youngling; I have lived in this world for the last thirty years. There is not a single thing that goes on here that I don't know about. Now, I don't know whether it will be any good to you but I happen to know where you can find this missing helicopter of you father's".

"What?" Temeraire said. "How do you know this? And why didn't you tell him?" Gandamak shrugged, quite a sight when you realise that he had ten shoulders.

"He didn't ask".

**Authors Note: Hey hey hey! How's it going people? It's been one hell of a week, what with my tour job and people constantly changing my timetable! But I still found time to knock this one out and boy do I feel good about it! So, let's see what you guys think! Also, on a minor note, the next chapter may be a little late as I have been asked whether I can provide a refresher chapter at the start of this fic, for those people who haven't read the first one can more easily follow the story. It shouldn't take me too long though, so don't worry! **

**Also, as I have been using my normal motto a lot recently, so I thought I would try something new for a while: Arte et Marte. Let's see how many of you can work out what this means (and where it comes from!)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 10**

******Fighting the Forgotten**

Jago stepped out of the wind, shivering a little.

"Bloody Hell; it's cold!" he muttered and pulled off his hat, dusting the snow from it. "GIRLS! I'VE GOT FOOD!" There was no answer, so he just shrugged and headed deeper into the cave. "Come on! I know I rat isn't exactly appetising but there isn't much else to be had!" Still nothing. Curious, he headed into the central chamber and found… nothing. Aside from Gandamak and still smoking remnants of a fire, the cave was completely empty. "Girls?" he called out in confusion and then turned to Gandamak as the dragon growled, cracking his eye open.

"The girls are gone" the dragon hissed and Jago's blood ran cold.

"Gone? Gone where?"

"Why, they've gone to find Trenzilore, of course" the dragon said idly, raising his head to look disinterestedly at his claws.

"THEY DID WHAT?!" Jago bellowed, rounding on the Gandamak, a killing look in his eyes.

"You heard me" the dragon said calmly, carefully starting to clean his claws with his fangs. "The girls have gone to find Trenzilore".

"AND YOU LET THEM?!" Jago demanded. "I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO KEEP THEM SAFE!"

"No, you told them to STAY HERE, where it was safe. I had no part in your discussion and as such, it was not my business to stop them, in the event that they tried to leave". Jago glared at him but the dragon simply shrugged.

"Ok, so they've gone back out there… But they have no chance of finding that gunship" Jago said, more to reassure himself than anything but Gandamak gave a deep gurgle, the dragon's version of a polite cough.

"Well actually, I told them EXACTLY where to find the missing Ghosthawk".

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"Is that it?" Kitara asked, as the three of them looked down into the ravine through which the river ran. The water was white and furious but they could see the shape of a large object, twisted and warped by its trip down the river, wedged against a rock.

"I think so" Temeraire said, staring down at the wreck, thinking hard. "Well one thing is pretty clear; it didn't crash here".

"It didn't?" Yukio asked, eyeing the twisted wreckage of the former Guardian Corp aircraft.

"No, it was carried here from further upstream" Temeraire said and then paused. Without warning, she leapt into the air, landing on one of the rocks of the river.

"Temmy?" Kitara called out but Temeraire didn't reply, simply jumped again, landing on another rock, closer to the aircraft. She kept moving forward, inspecting the wreck as she went. While they knew that a gunship had gone missing, with this undoubtedly being that aircraft, there was little evidence that Dragon Zero-Nine had actually been shot down. She needed to get a closer look to see…

"It lost the tail rotor" she called out, inspecting the wreckage carefully.

"Is that bad?" Kitara asked.

"As bad as it gets" Yukio said grimly. "Without a tail rotor, a helicopter would spin out and crash… pretty much like this one". She paused and glanced at her friend. "How do you not know this?" Kitara scowled.

"I'm a soldier, not an engineer" she said huffily and then paused. "Why do goddesses use helicopters anyway? It's like a fad that I don't understand, especially since most of us can fly".

"Flying is exhausting for anyone without a Valkyrie's training and stamina. Helicopters and other aircraft are an energy efficient way to travel, that doesn't use up our power".

"Well, it seems silly to me" Kitara said and then she turned back to Temeraire. "Anything else?" she called out.

"Some scorch marks" Temmy replied, leaning as close to the wreckage as she dared on the slippery rock. "This isn't a random pattern; this bird was hit by fireballs". The other two nodded, understanding fully the implication of this; Dragon Zero-Nine had definitely been shot down, rather than having been brought down by bad weather or other natural causes.

"So this is the bird we were looking for… but what do we do now?" Yukio asked. Temeraire looked up from the wreck, sighting along the ravine.

"We follow the river. Wherever this bird went down, I'll bet that's where the Praetorians are hiding".

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"YOU WHAT!?" Jago bellowed to Gandamak and the dragon winced in discomfort at the volume.

"Why not shout a little louder? I can still hear a little in this ear" he growled, wiggling his claw in his ear-hole.

"WELL WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!" Jago demanded. "I'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR THAT CHOPPER ALL WEEK EVER SINCE IT DISAPEARED AND YOU TELL ME YOU KNEW WHERE IT WAS ALL ALONG!?"

"You didn't ask" the dragon said smugly.

"But if you HAD said something-"

"But I didn't. There is nothing that you can do about it now". Jago glared and then spat.

"You know, you haven't been very helpful recently Gandamak. You didn't tell me about the Ghosthawk, you failed to help Anzus… heck, you didn't even think to warn us that they Forgotten Army have been using a Gate to get around!" For the first time, Gandamak looked confused.

"A Gate? Are you sure?" Jago paused and then he nodded.

"Apparently every time that they show up on Earth, there has been some unusual gate activity; one of the unregistered ones, we think". Unregistered Gates were generally those ones that had either become lost or otherwise detached from their normal point of origin. They were rare and hard to find but it was rumoured that it was through one of these, coupled with Lamb's gate hacking ability that allowed them into Heaven. Gandamak however, still seemed puzzled.

"Are you certain that a Gate has been used?" Jago nodded. "Strange… I have not detected any kind of Gate activity. Yours is the first that has come here in years". It was now Jago's turn to look confused.

"What? I thought-" But he stopped himself. "Never mind. Right now, I need to get those girls back". He paused and glanced up at the dragon, who continued to eye him in a bored fashion. "Right you; this is a direct order from myself to you, as Paladin to Deputy. I need you to contact Weth; tell her to get her arse here ASAP, got that?" The dragon growled but nodded. "Good". With that, he dropped his heavy rucksack, not needing the extra weight and simply removed his weapons. "I'll be back" he said simply, turning to face the snow. "I may be some time".

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Outside the other cave, higher up mountains, the Forgotten Army guard looked out from her hiding place. Her camouflage cloak was wrapped around her, allowing her to blend almost seamlessly with the rock and snow of her hiding place, as she watched for intruders. The Oracle had reported strange activity, down near the Jötunberg; apparently, a Gate had come and gone twice. It was probably nothing, just the Paladin's foolish Guardians going about their fool's-errands. However, she had to remain alert and so, despite the bitter cold that cut through her, even though she was a full First Class goddess, she sat and watched the valley below, as another blizzard closed in around the mountain. All that gave away her presence was the faint sparkle of her eyes and the fiat wisp of smoke and glow of the end of cigarette she had managed to barter from a Jötunn she had encountered several months beforehand and had been saving for just such a night. She was relaxed however. Not even the Frost-fiends came near their camp anymore. She had little to fear. But unbeknownst to her, SHE was being watched, even though the snow and the wind. Three sets of eyes in fact were watching her. In truth, if not for the cigarette, they never would have spotted her.

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"You have good eyes Yukio" Kitara admitted, as the three of them watched the near invisible Praetorian from their hiding spot, in the woods below the cave. The smallest of the three shrugged, tugging the hood of her robe down lower to prevent it from being whipped away in the wind.

"Thanks… but I never would have spotted her if it hadn't been her taking a drag when she did". The other two were silent, each weighing up their options before they made their next move.

"So what do you think?" Temeraire asked without looking at Kitara.

"Well… we found where they hiding out" Kitara said. "But I get the feeling that you don't just want to go and find your dad and tell him about it".

"You got it" Temeraire said with a quiet nod. "I'm thinking that if we can find out as much information as possible then we might actually be able to do some good to our folks… I mean, I doubt it's just one cave. There's probably a whole series of caves in there. If we can just find out how many they'll be up against, it might be of use to whoever comes to find them". Yukio looked terrified and Kitara frowned but eventually, the two of them nodded.

"Alright" Kitara said. "What's the plan?" Temeraire paused, thinking it through.

"Alright… Yukio, I want you to stay here. You're not exactly a soldier and we can't risk you getting hurt".

"Are you sure?" Yukio asked. "I signed up for this mission and-"

"No, Temmy's right" Kitara said. "We're going up against ex-Praetorians. These guys are nasty; not people that a wish granter would be able to beat, even in the best of circumstances".

"I thought you were just doing recon?" Yukio asked.

"But there's a good chance that we'll have to fight our way out" Temeraire said. "It's not something that I want you getting involved in". Yukio frowned but she nodded. She was no soldier. She would stay behind. But while the other two began discussing their own plan, she remained on watch. It was because of this that she spotted their first problem.

"Err… guys?" she said and the other two turned to her as she pointed. "Jago". The other two looked and to their horror, they saw Temeraire's father moving quickly across the open snowfield, making no attempt to conceal his presence. And then all eyes turned to the guard.

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The guard was astonished. Moving across the open ground before her, between the mouth of the cave and the forest beyond, was the unmistakable shape of a person. Whoever it was, they appeared to be in a hurry, running as fast as possible through the deep drifts. She doused her cigarette, carful to hide the final flash of the tip, before reaching down to her belt and drawing a long falx knife from her belt. She grinned softly to herself as she began to move, sliding down the slope as soft and silent as a ghost. It was only when her victim pause that she paused too, feeling just for a second, a note of fear. It was the Paladin himself! What was he doing here of all places? But then she steeled herself. He must have found the missing helicopter and followed the trail back up here. But he was alone, out here in the snow, armed but seemingly unaware of her unaware of her presence. And so, with the utmost care, she crept up behind the man and placed the blade against his throat.

"Now isn't this a surprise" she breathed, leaning close to whisper into his ear. "What would the Paladin be doing out here, all alone and without any help?"

"Who says I'm the Paladin?" Weth asked with a grin, despite the knife at her throat and the guard spun rapidly as she heard a chuckle behind her.

"And who says she's alone?" Jago said, lowing his camouflage spell and then his eyes flashed red as Jupiter took over. Before she could so much as scream, Jupiter's hand shot forward, blurring as it came and it went _inside_ her. The Forgotten Army soldier made a noise somewhere between a gasp and a croak and then collapsed as Jupiter tore her angel out., causing the pair of them to instantly become comatose.

"Where the Hell did you learn a trick like that?" Weth asked, not sure whether to be impressed or disgusted.

"Cool Mint" Jago said, Jupiter having quickly faded out. "It's the quickest way to disable a goddess without killing her, unpleasant as it may be". With that, he hefted one of the pair over his shoulder and turned towards where his daughter and her friends were hiding. "It's alright; you can come out now Oh and Weth? I want my hat and jacket back!"

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"Well at least you were using your heads for once" Jago said as the three of them settled into the lee of a snow-bank. "Knowing you, I would have assumed that you would have gone charging in, all guns blazing and got royally slaughtered".

"Yeah, we try to avoid that" Kitara said. "We're kind of allergic to getting slaughtered". Jago chuckled but then paused, his face becoming serious.

"You three were stupid to leave Gandamak's cave. The dragon would have protected you-"

"But we never would have located the Forgotten Army's base!" Temeraire said to which Jago glared.

"True" Weth said simply. "But once Gandamak told us exactly where the Ghosthawk was, it wasn't hard to find this place".

"Although, I will admit, we weren't expecting to run into any guards just yet". They all glanced at the still comatose soldier and her angel who beat angrily at the walls of her prison. They had sealed her to prevent her from escaping and with her voice also sealed, she was unable to speak. Now however, they had to decide what to do.

"Alright" Jago said. "Weth and I are going in to do recon. You three are to stay here". He nodded at the three junior goddesses. "You've done enough for today. And Temmy…" he said, turning to his daughter, "don't think this has changed anything. I'm still recommending you for expulsion from the Valkyries". Temeraire looked dismayed but nodded. "However…" Jago said and she raised her head slightly, "Weth and I can't do this alone. So like it or not, you and Kitara are going to have to help us out". Kitara and Temmy shared a look unsure what to make of this but were quickly shocked as Lamb, Damascus and Weth's angel, Solar Radiance appeared before them.

"What are you-"

"With the ease in which Trenzilore and the Oracle appear to have been able to take down Anzus, it seems likely that they removed her angel from her, so as to cripple her" Solar Radiance said. "As such, it would be dangerous for us angels to go in there without know what we could be us against".

"In fact, if Kitara is coming with us, it would be best if she left Mere Wolf here, just in case". Kitara looked concerned but nodded, bringing out her own Arch who settled down beside her more senior peers.

"Don't worry, she'll be safe with us" Lamb said. Kitara nodded and turned to stand beside Weth while Jago spoke with Yukio.

"We shouldn't be too long. An hour at most. However, if we ARE any longer than that, I need you to put a call in to Lind".

"Would that be because we're captured?" Temeraire asked and Jago shrugged.

"Captured or killed. Same difference really".

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The four of them moved slowly towards the mouth of the cave, ready for anything that might be waiting for them. Just before the mouth of the cave, Jago raised a hand to call a halt.

"Ok, I'm taking point. You two are to stay between myself and Weth so that if anything happens to us, at least you two will probably going to survive. Also, keep your eyes open for traps. I doubt they have anything but you can never tell". He paused and then turned back to look at them. "Oh and don't use your primary weapons. The hammer and halberd are no good in confined spaces. Stick to your side-arms". For emphasis, he drew his own pair; his enormous revolver, which he had had the foresight to tape a torch to and his old and much worn khukuri.

"Is it a bright idea to let these two come along?" Weth asked, her Khyber knife in her hand.

"We don't really have a choice" Jago said as the two girls both gave Weth a look. "Recon is all well and good but in truth, this could be our one chance to take out Trenzilore and his mates, not to mention possibly recovering the Seraph egg". He turned back as they gave him a surprised look. "Yep, this isn't recon; that was Yukio's benefit. This is assassination, slash search and destroy. I hope that isn't a problem". No answer. "I'll take that as a yes". With that, he stepped into the entrance of the cave, moving cautiously.

"You know, I think we MIGHT be in over our heads" Kitara whispered to Temmy who simply smiled grimly as they followed Jago in.

"And I'm stuck as Tail-End Charlie AGAIN!" Weth muttered to herself. "Let's just hope Jago's gotten better at this sneaking stuff".

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Yukio watched nervously as the four fighters disappeared into the mouth of the cave.

"Will they be alright?" she asked nervously as she turned to the small collection of angels who were… playing backgammon. "Wh- what are you doing?" she asked, completely confused.

"What does it look like?" Damascus asked.

"But-"

"We can't be of any use at the moment" Lamb said simply. "It's unlikely that we are going to be discovered and if anyone tries to come close, we'll sense them before they get here".

"Besides, it's not like SHE is going anywhere" Damascus said, jerking her head in the direction of the still unconscious Praetorian, whose angel had now calmed down and was sitting listlessly, her knees drawn up to her chest.

"But what if the others get into trouble?" Yukio asked desperately.

"Anything that Jupiter or Pluto can't deal with" Solar Radiance said, "we can't deal with either. Having us stay here is the best way to ensure that none of them go comatose in the middle of a fight and besides, they will still have access to the majority of our power if they need it".

"If anything DOES go wrong, the Valkyries are going to need all of the support they can get. And as support goes, it doesn't get much more powerful than THREE Archs, a Guardian and a Wish-granter, complete with her goddess" Lamb said, rubbing her chin thoughtfully and then Damascus swore as lamb beat her in a single move. Mere Wolf shook her head and moved over to Yukio.

"I share your concerns but these three are our seniors and they know far more about fighting even that I do". Yukio sighed and lowered her head, shaking it in despair. It was then that her eye caught the shape of the Praetorian's angel, still sealed inside her bubble.

"What about her? What's going to happen to her?" Yukio asked. Mere Wolf gave a pained look and shook her own head.

"Most likely, she'll be executed as a traitor" the Arch said sadly and Yukio's face went pale. She didn't say anything however; it was her angel who spoke for her.

"WHAT?!" Blessed Harp squeaked. "But-"

"You know the law" Mere Wolf said. "All traitors are given a fair trial and then executed. It's been like that for the last thirty years and probably always will be". Both Yukio and Blessed Harp looked horrified but they knew this was true. They were looking at a dead women walking… or rather, both lying and sitting.

"Do you think we can talk to her?" Yukio asked and Mere Wolf cocked her head and then glanced at the three older angels.

"I guess we can" she said and they quietly approached the bubble. The angel didn't appear to notice their approach, instead keeping her knees tucked up to her face. It wasn't until Blessed Harp gingerly tapped on the surface of the shield that she cautiously raised her head to look at them.

"Hello!" both Blessed Harp and Yukio said as brightly and cheerfully as possible as she eyed them suspiciously, while Mere Wolf watched from the wings, unsure of what to do. It was only now that Lamb, glancing surreptitiously to make sure they were fully involved in a conversation with the angel, that she nodded to Damascus. The devil nodded back and she silently disappeared, using her Nightmare powers to fade to complete invisibility, while Solar Radiance took her place at the backgammon board. Jago didn't want the angels with them for exactly the reason he had stated but he had given Damascus a particular mission; she WAS to follow them. After all, he knew how his life worked; the joke of life was and always would be on him. Something was bound to go wrong and if nothing else, Temeraire and Kitara HAD to make it out alive.

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The inside of the cave was surprisingly brightly lit. Every twenty feet or so, a magically supported orb of light hung, just below the ceiling, illuminating the main passageway into the mountain. That's not to say that everywhere was so brightly lit. Leading off of the main passages were dozens of smaller ones, some of which ended in deep chambers, some of which simply ended, terminating in a blank wall.

"I've never seen anything like this" Weth muttered as they ran into another dead end. "Why would the Forgotten Army start digging tunnels but then stop half way through.

"I couldn't say" Jago admitted as they headed back up the passage. "But I'm thinking that it might not have been the Forgotten Army who made them".

"I don't get it" Temeraire said and Kitara shook her head at her friend.

"He's saying that there was something here before the Forgotten Army got here". Temmy's brow wrinkled as she tried to picture this.

"Are you saying… some kind of burrowing animal?"

"It's possible, now that we think about" Weth admitted. "We know relatively little about the Jötunheim's ecology. It may well be the case that there is some kind of large, subterranean animal that we don't know about. It would certainly explain the tunnels that we used to get into that fortress when we were hunting Gandamak".

"Well, chances are, whatever it is probably long gone" Jago said as they made it back to the main passage and took an immediate left turn, following the main trunk of the tunnel. There was however, a nagging doubt that was beginning to creep into their minds as they continued their search. Where were the enemy? Aside from the guard at the door, they hadn't seen any other Forgotten Army soldiers. There had been signs of them aplenty. One chamber was clearly used as some kind of barracks, another was a kitchen, while a third was an armoury, stacked to the roof with racks of weapons and stacks of boxes. The boxes were another mystery. Using Temeraire's halberd as a crowbar, they had cracked a few of them open and they had discovered that they were full of guns; stacks of them. Most were Chinese copies of the old AK-47; paratrooper variants, with collapsible metal stocks and shortened barrels for greater ease of transport. Where they had come from was a mystery but many of the crates bore the symbols of various Humanist groups, hinting that these were no ordinary weapons. But that was not the only thing of note. Valkyrie uniforms. Dozens of them. Why though, didn't become apparent for a while yet. It wasn't until a little further on that they heard the sound; the roar of voices, echoing inside a cave. Motioning for silence, Jago led the way forward in a low crouch as they silently moved on up. At last, they came to an entrance to the tunnel, which overlooked a large chamber. Ducking for cover, the four peered out. It was certainly a sight to behold. The chamber was much larger than those they had come across beforehand and it was packed with Forgotten Army soldiers, all facing towards a what appeared to be a raised podium of some kind. A quick head count gave an estimate of five hundred of them, packed together into the vast room. The sight was overwhelming, as was the sound… and the smell. The stench of thirty years worth of unwashed bodies filled the room, stifling the watchers as they stared down. So bad was the smell in fact, that Kitara actually pulled her ponytail around, wrapping it around her nose and mouth so that she could breathe freely without fear of choking. But it was at that moment that the chamber fell silent as a single figure slowly made his way onto the stage. Trenzilore. And then the room exploded into a roar, as the soldiers of the Forgotten Army cheered their leader, until he raised his hands, silencing them once more.

"Welcome my sisters, my brothers! Today is a good day for us! Today we make our first move against those who cast us out, all those years ago!" he shouted and the crowd cheered again. Trenzilore waited until the cheering stopped again. "Today, we shall make our first real move! We shall make a direct attack on the humans of Arusha, the mightiest city of Earth! Now, you ask us why? Well that is simple; the Oracle has predicted that such an attack will be the first step in turning the humans against the gods! We shall move against them in disguise; in the uniforms of Lind's precious Valkyries! But what of the Guardians you ask? And the Paladin? What of him? Well I can tell you this! The Guardians will not attack the Valkyries without first consulting Lind to discover why the attack has taken place! As to the Paladin, know this; he is mighty but his strength fails! We have learned that even now, he is dying! He will not live to see the next year… a pity perhaps, for he will never see our return to power!" The two younger goddesses glanced at Jago, unsure about this. But… Surtr had mentioned something about this too. He didn't LOOK bad but… "Now, he will undoubtedly make an appearance but remember, not even he can defeat us! He and his Archs are nothing compared to-" He suddenly stopped as the Oracle suddenly appeared. She whispered quietly to him and the four unseen watchers felt a chill roll down their spines. "Are you sure?" Trenzilore said and the Oracle nodded her head, making the Forgotten Army's commander grin. "My fellow soldiers, I have just received some remarkable news! It would seem that the Paladin has descended from on-high to be with us tonight!" And from behind his mask, Trenzilore grinned like a shark. "TWOARCHS! COME ON OUT!"

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Cautiously, the angel looked up from inside the bubble, curious as to who was tapping there.

"Hello" Yukio said, smiling as brightly as she dared. The angel grunted and turned away, drawing her knees back up so that they couldn't see her face anymore. The thing that struck both Yukio and Blessed Harp was in fact that face which she was so keen to hide; she bore a fair resemblance to Gorgeous Rose. Not a complete match mind, with a younger but somehow more worn face, as if she had been fighting for years… which she probably had. She also had darker hair than the rose-angel and rather than vines or the usual cloth wrap, her body was encased in what appeared to be a suite of lightweight scalemail, with a suede underlay. She certainly wasn't a daughter of Gorgeous Rose but… a sister perhaps? Whichever it was, they tapped on the shield once more, rousing the angel once more.

"Hello?" said Blessed Harp, more cautiously than before, hoping that the angel would respond. However, the angel simply snorted once more, turning completely around so that her wings and back were facing them .

"Talkative isn't she?" Mere Wolf said with a shake of her head. Yukio and Blessed Harp shared a look, both privately agreeing to ignore the unhelpful Arch and then turned their attention back to the unresponsive angel.

"Look, we just want to talk to you" Yukio said. "We mean you no harm". Slowly, the angel turned to face them , her head cocked in what could almost be described as amusement as she watched them with brilliant golden eyes.

"So… do you have a name?" Blessed Harp asked gingerly. The angel shook her head. "You don't?" The angel rolled her eyes and gestured towards her throat…

"Oh" Yukio said. "You can't speak? They sealed your voice?" The angel nodded and jerked her thumb at Lamb. Yukio nodded and quickly crossed to the angel, while Blessed Harp and Mere Wolf remained beside the bubble. "Lamb?" she asked cautiously.

"Hmm?" Lamb said, not looking up from the backgammon board.

"I'm trying to talk to the angel in the bubble but-"

"There" Lamb said, snapping her fingers in a disinterested fashion. "Now she can speak. But don't expect anything intelligent from her. She is a Praetorian after all". Yukio nodded, smiling and headed back over to the trapped angel, who was busy rubbing her throat.

"Thank you" she rasped. "And to satisfy your curiosity, they call me Bloody Thorn". But then she grinned, almost a leer in fact and shook her head. "But the old whore was right; you aren't getting anything out of me".

"I heard that" Lamb said, not looking up from the game as Yukio and Blessed Harp continued to watch the Bloody Thorn carefully.

"We not trying to get anything out of you" Blessed Harp said. "We simply want to talk". Bloody Thorn cocked her head curiously.

"Just talk? Why?"

"Well you looked kind of sad and lonely-"

"OF COURSE I'M SAD AND LONELY!" the angel suddenly snarled, slamming both fists into the sides of the sphere. "THAT FAT OATH OF A PALADIN TORE ME FROM MY MASTER! DO YOU KNOW THAT FEELS LIKE? TO BE TORN FROM THE ONE PERSON WHO YOU CARE FOR MOST OF ALL?" She slammed her fist into the side of the sphere once more, shaking the ball in her fury and making the young Wish-granter back away. But Bloody Thorn's rage was gone as soon as it had come and she seemed to sag inwardly. Her head drooped and the angel slowly sagged to the floor of her prison, sobbing quietly.

"I'm sorry" Yukio said softly, laying her hand against the wall of the sphere. "I didn't mean to upset you". She paused, thinking about something… something that Bloody Thorn had said. "Wait, did you just say MASTER?" The angel slowly raised her head, her eyes still filled with tears and she nodded.

"Yes, my host is a male". Curious, Yukio and Blessed Harp moved to where the unconscious guard was still lying, a blanket covering his form to protect him from the worst of the cold. Carefully and with Bloody Thorn watching cautiously, they gently drew back the hood that covered his face, revealing it to the world. He was indeed a god, rather than a goddess and a young one at that; he didn't look much older than Temeraire. He was handsome… in an unwashed and beaten-up-once-too-often way and with the barest scratchings of a beard on his face and neck.

"I didn't know there were any male Praetorians… aside Deaderuss of course" Yukio said. "I mean, there are a few male Valkyries who occasionally show up but…" She gradually faded into silence and turned back to Bloody Thorn. "He's young" she said.

"Yes. We were amongst the last gods to join the Praetorians".

"I thought you had to have experience in the Valkyries before they would let you become a Praetorian?" Bloody Thorn shrugged.

"We had connections". Then however, she gave Yukio and Blessed Harp a look, while they recovered the unconscious man. "It's not hard to tell who you're related to though" she sneered. "Robes like that and a spanner? You're Belldandy and Morisato's girl. I heard of you… the whore goddess who fell for a worthless human! And a short one at that!" Yukio jerked her head around, her face red with sudden anger.

"HEY! What was that for?" she demanded and Bloody Thorn simply shrugged.

"I'm just calling it how I see it" she said. "Your mother was the first goddess to fall from grace, just as Lind was the second. Both of them fell for human men… and here is one of the results! A pathetic half-breed, dragged into something way over her head!" Yukio was about to snap a reply but Mere Wolf stopped her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't bother. She's not worth it". It was at that moment that they heard the unmistakeable sound… of gunshots.

"Oh hark at that!" Bloody Thorn said with a smug grin. "I do believe that your friends have been discovered!"

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Jago gave a grim shake of his head as Trenzilore called him out.

"Bugger" he said. "I forgot that she could do that". Even after thirty years, he wasn't sure how angels were able to detect things that their host couldn't see but he had learned to accept it. In this case however, it had worked against him… "ALRIGHT!" he shouted. "I'M COMING DOWN!" With that, he made to stand, only for his daughter to try and stop him.

"What are you doing?!" Temeraire hissed, grasping the back of his coat. "You'll-"

"I'm playing for time" he said. "That is, time for you to get out of here". With that, he tugged himself free of Temeraire's grasp and dropped to the floor of the chamber, the crowd parting as he slowly made his way towards the stage. From across the room, angry eyes followed him, glaring at him as he calmly approached Trenzilore, while the Oracle disappeared once more.

"Good evening to you Twoarchs" Trenzilore said. "It would seem that fate has smiled on us on tonight of all nights".

"Well I don't know about fate" Jago said with a shrug. "Personally, I prefer coincidence… but whatever floats your boat". He paused at the base of the stage before swinging himself up. "Now however, I'm afraid that it is time to call an end to the pleasantries". He paused and turned to the crowed at large, cupping both hands to his mouth to help project his voice. "I, PALADIN JAGO FINCH, BY THE AUTHORITY BESTOWED UPON MYSELF BY THE HIGH COUNCIL, DO HEREBY PLACE YOU ALL UNDER ARREST!" There was a moment of silence and then the entire Forgotten Army roared with laughter.

"Now how exactly do you plan to do that?" Trenzilore asked.

"Well I brought twenty-thousand Guardians with me!" Jago said with a note of authority. "They are waiting for either my word or my death, at which point, they will rain down holy hellfire on this little base of yours. Now you can either surrender or-"

"Don't kid a kidder Paladin" Trenzilore said. "Your "army" consist of just four!" He lifted his head and called out to them. "Girls! Come on out! Because if you don't…" and he spun suddenly, kicking Jago to the deck and placing a blade on his chest, "then the Paladin dies!" Nothing happened for a few seconds but then, Weth slowly appeared, followed by Temeraire and then Kitara. "Well, would you look at this?" Trenzilore said with a chuckle. "The Paladin's mighty army is nothing more than his brat, her friend and a legless traitor!"

"That's not true!" Weth snapped. "I've hardly touched a drop!" Trenzilore cocked his head, clearly confused.

"What? No, I mean that you don't have any legs". Weth thought about this for a second and then gave a sheepish grin.

"Oh, right, I see. Sorry".

"You're really on the ball today, aren't you Weth?" Jago said, not taking his eyes of the sword that was hovering just above his ribs.

"Well, enough of this" Trenzilore said, quickly gathering their attention once more. "You see, you four have placed yourselves in a rather compromising position; you are outnumbered and outgunned!" And then Trenzilore's grin got nasty. "Now, you can watch, as I remove the Paladin's angels!" And there was a collective gasp as Trenzilore reached down, thrusting his hand into Jago's chest, intent on ripping out Lamb and Damascus. It was only after a few seconds of searching that he realised his mistake.

"That's right" Jago said with wink. "They aren't in there!" With that, his own hand shot forward, reaching inside the soldier's ribs… to the same result. "Well this is odd".

"Looks like there's more to me than you thought!" Trenzilore said and Jago shrugged.

"Perhaps. But I bet if I kick you in the fork, you'll still squeal like a pig!" With that, he kicked Trenzilore in the fork, making him squeal like a pig. "TIME TO GO!" Jago shouted and he rolled to his feet, sprinting away from the fallen soldier and hurdling the stage. The others had already moving, sprinting towards a the main passage and from there to freedom. Only Weth stayed behind, covering the two girls as they made their escape.

"Why didn't you kill him while you had the chance?" Weth asked as Jago as he raced past her and she turned to follow, but not before cutting down the nearest enemy.

"We need him alive if we're to get that egg back" Jago said between breaths. "Besides, another second and I would have been toast!" As if for emphasis, there was a sudden rattle of machinegun fire as one of their pursuers opened up with an automatic rifle, which was followed by a burst of fireballs, staining the walls of the tunnel with smoke and searing their eyes with light. But the chase suddenly stopped. Not because they wanted to. It's just that their way was blocked. The Oracle.

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The Oracle stood in the middle of the tunnel, blocking their passage with her great wings. A dark haired angel, she grinned viciously at them, knowing that she had them trapped between a rock and a hard place. Or rather, a sharp place. The Forgotten Army LIKED swords.

"You fight dirty" she said with a little respect, to Jago. "Did Lamb teach you that trick? The angel removal, I mean?"

"Damascus" Jago admitted. "Even goddesses have dreams and sometimes, it was necessary to remove an angel for a Nightmare to do her work without interference. But that's not her only trick…" And he whipped out his heavy revolve, firing off a series of shots at the Oracle, while Weth turned, drawing her own gun, a heavy Desert Eagle .50 and fired back towards the Forgotten Army soldiers. The Oracle simply raised her hand and not bothering to even erect a full shield around herself, she deflected the bullets with her palm. But in the split second that she was doing so, she was distracted. And it was during this second that both Temmy and Kitara suddenly felt a clawed hand on their shoulders and they disappeared before they knew what was happening. It was only when Jago and Weth lowered their guns that the Oracle spoke again.

"Sneaky… covering the girl's escape by letting Damascus carry them off". But then she raised her hand once more, this time in a claw-like gesture and both Guardians collapsed as she took control of their blood. "But ultimately… foolish. They are nothing of real importance. But you two? You two have REAL value". And then she squeezed…

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"_Not a sound!"_ Damascus hissed to Temmy and Kitara via a mental link, as they phased backwards through the wall and into an empty chamber. Just as they phased out however, they saw Jago and Weth's guns come up and even through the thick rock of the wall, they could hear the sound of shots. It wasn't until the sound of shooting faded that Damascus finally released them.

"Are you two alright?" the devil asked as the three of them faded back into solidity.

"We're alright" Kitara said. "But what are you doing here? I thought that Jago told you to stay behind because it was too dangerous?"

"I'm the reinforcements" Damascus said. "In the event of something going wrong, which it did, it's my job to get you two out of here".

"But what about Dad?" Temmy asked. "And Weth? We can't just leave them here!"

"We don't exactly have a choice" Damascus said with a sigh exasperation. "We can't fight the Forgotten Army on our own; I'm no soldier and we're outnumbered more than a hundred to one. And we can't bring Lamb in. She's strong but even she can't this many enemies at once".

"What about if you two go Prime?" Kitara asked. "With Mere Wolf's backing-"

"We can't" Damascus said with a shake of her head. "I mean that literally; neither Lamb or myself can go Prime anymore…"

"But why?" Temeraire asked.

"That final battle against Kronos. Fighting against Gracious Penitence's flesh-avatars, we were both badly injured. Lamb lost her wings and I was poisoned. It means that if either of us try to go Prime again, we'll both die".

"So fighting's out" Kitara said.

"But we can't just leave!" Temeraire said. "Not only do we need to rescue Dad and the Weth, but we need to get Lamb's egg!"

"Well how do you suppose we do that?" Damascus asked, raising an eyebrow and folding her arms. "While we know that Master is still alive, we don't where he or Weth are and we certainly don't know where that damn egg is".

"Well, actually we do" Temeraire said. "The egg I mean. You see, I _saw_ it".

8888

Jago and Weth were sat alone in the room, tied hands and feet so they couldn't escape. There was no point struggling; the ropes that held them were inscribed with runes that prevented them from being split. The only way out would be to cut them.

"Well this didn't quite work out to plan, now did it?" Weth said and Jago grinned.

"No, not quite. Still, I suppose it could be worse".

"Well how exactly?" Weth asked.

"Well… we could be naked". Weth snorted shook her head.

"Well I've heard rumours about you and Lind… and the silk rope and gag".

"Peorth?" Jago asked and Weth nodded. "I really need to find that camera one of these days. I don't mind sharing our sex life but… ok, I'm not sure where I'm going with this. Besides, we're still not as kinky as Keiichi and Bell". They both shuddered at the thought of Urd's horrifying video of the young couple, which she had secretly made on their wedding night. _The barbed wire! And custard! And EELS! _They chuckled nervously and then Weth grunted as she dragged one of her legs up and popped off the metal prosthetic. "What are you doing? You got a knife in there?" Weth grinned and passed the metal cylinder up to her mouth, popping the cork with her teeth.

"Better" she said, spitting the cork away and taking a deep swig of the peach schnapps she kept inside.

"I want one of those" Jago said and they both chuckled as she passed it to him. He took a swig and handed it back. "Resourceful women to have around. So what do you keep in the other one?"

"Nitro-glycerine".

"Bloody Hell, are you serious?"

"Dead serious. Why would I lie?" It was at that moment that they heard footsteps and so, Weth strapped her now empty leg back on.

"Probably best to keep that to yourself" Jago said as a pair of ex-Praetorians entered the room. "And remember; no fear". Weth nodded as the pair approached her, stopping just short of her.

"You! On your feet!" one of them demanded but Weth just snorted.

"How? You tied them together" she said and then grunted as one of them delivered a savage kick to her ribs. "What? Violence already?" she said with a pained grin. "You two are the worst inquisitors ever!" They didn't answer, simply sliced through the ropes around her ankles and dragged her to her feet, shoving her roughly towards the tunnel and out of sight, leaving Jago alone. Or rather, almost alone…

"So you want some time alone with me Oracle?" Jago asked to the seemingly empty room. However, in response, there was a shimmer in the air and Oracle appeared before him, grinning.

"How did you know I was here?"

"I have Damascus remember? She's THE Nightmare and so can be almost completely invisible. Compared to her, you are surprisingly easy to spot, Oracle". And he gave his own grin. "Or should I say…" And he called her by her true name. The angel shuddered at the mention of her name and glared at him.

"It has been thirty years since anybody has called me by that name" she said bitterly. "Not since you and Lamb…"

"And Damascus. Don't forget Damascus". The Oracle glared and then suddenly, her hand shot forward, grasping Jago by his shoulder, so hard that he felt sure she was going to crack his shoulder blade, even through his thick jacket.

"You think I am in the mood for jokes Twoarchs? For thirty years, I have been separated from my true Master, forced to serve another out of convenience! Oh, we both share a similar goal; I want you dead, he wants you dead… and Jeiko too. But beyond that? He is nothing more than an energy source for me. Once you and your friends have suffered as I have, he and I will part our ways peacefully…"

"So who… or rather, what is this new Master of yours? You have no direct connection to him, even though you reside inside him, which is why I couldn't pull you out, which suggests that either you've found a way to support yourself on someone who usually couldn't support an Arch or…"

"What and who my Master is isn't important. All that matters is that YOU are now in MY power". She grinned wickedly and with a snap of her fingers, she summoned a long rod of iron; a poker.

"If you plan to try and get information out of me, all you're going to get is name, rank and breakfast serial number".

"Oh very droll" the Oracle said, slowly heating the end of the poker with her hand. "Even when I'm about to torture you, you still crack wise".

"Well of course. You are about to kill me after all. I've got to get some funnies in while I've got the chance".

"Kill you?" the Oracle asked with mock surprise. "Nooooo! I have no intention of killing you!" But her grin got wider, with a touch of madness in her eye, as she lowered her now red-hot poker. "But it's surprising what you can live through!" Jago bellowed in pain.

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An hour had passed since they had entered the cave. Time was up.

"Do you think they're alright?" Blessed Harp asked. Lamb and Solar Radiance shrugged.

"They're still alive if that's what you mean, otherwise we wouldn't still be here" Solar Radiance said. "Beyond that? Not likely. Especially with all those gunshots a while back".

"So I should make the call?"

"What do you think?" Lamb said, summoning her buster-sword.

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Lind sighed as her phone rang once more. It had been ringing almost non-stop since the Parliament meeting, with everyone from High Council members to the media trying to get information out of her. However, she couldn't simply ignore the call and so, reluctantly, she picked up the phone.

"Hello?" she said, closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. However, the call wasn't what she expected. "Yukio? What is this? Why are you calling me?" She paused and listened for several minutes as Yukio explained the situation. Finally, she gave her reply. "Hang tight. Stay put. Reinforcements are on the way". She put the phone down and then picked it up immediately, dialling her number two. "Peorth, it's Lind. Call up the Valkyries; they've found Trenzilore".

"How many?" Peorth asked. "I mean, if Jago is with them-"

"Jago is MIA, as are Temmy, Weth and Kitara. We need to get to them NOW Peorth". There was silence for a second.

"You're going, aren't you?"

"Of course I am. My daughter AND my husband are missing".

"Well my daughter is missing too, so I'm coming". Lind sighed, knowing that there was no way she would be able to dissuade her goddess Aggregate, Principle Representative. Still she had to try.

"You do realise that this is going to be incredibly dangerous. You know, horrors which could make your hair curl. Killer robots! Space mutants! Potato monsters from Planet X!"

"Now you're just being silly".

"Yes, I know. Remind me though; who's in charge while we're gone? I know Freya is away at the moment and Frigg is on maternity leave so…"

"I'll call Belldandy. She's not supposed to cover for us but…"

"Do it". With that, Lind put down the phone again and turned slowly to stare at her ancient and much worn Valkyrie uniform, where it hung on its mannequin. After thirty years, it still looked like it had during the last days of the war; all four of the decorative wings that covered her boosters had been torn off, while the entire suit was stained with blood and soot, to the point that it looked more grey than white. Not only that but in places, there were rips and tears; shrapnel, blades and just general wear and tear of battle had caused those. But it was hers. Her true calling. And now, it was time to don it once more. The thick, white leather felt good as she tugged on the protective trousers and toggled up the front. She flexed her hands a little as she pulled on the gloves, feeling the once familiar sensation of weight from the built-in brass knuckles. And with final tug, she pulled on her boots, loving the comfort and security they gave her and wondering why she ever decided to try and wear heals in the first place. She was ready… or rather, almost ready. With care, she hefted her halberd, spinning it around her hand a few times, testing the weight, feeling the wear on the grip, admiring the shine as the Damascus steel blade flashed in the sun. With a final whirl, she tossed the weapon high, spun and punched the wall, leaving four deep hollows where her knuckles impacted the hard stone and then quickly turned again, catching the weapon and stowing it in the ether. She held out her hand towards her desk and with a hum, the mighty hammer Mjolnir shot forth, landing smoothly in her palm and she tucked it into her belt. As a final afterthought, she scooped her black jacket, the one that Jago had given her, off its hook and slid it over the top of her gear, leaving it open at the front for easy access to her weapons. She grinned. The Almighty One was going to war. Lind the Valkyrie Captain was BACK!

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Weth growled to herself as she stood over the crumpled Praetorian, rhythmically kicking her enemy in the ribs.

"Kick me will you?! Call me a traitor will you?! Try to break my fingers will you?! Well I'll show you!" The unfortunate Praetorian groaned as Weth continued to stomp her enemy, fuelled by rage. In the corner, the other lay, curled into a bloodied ball of misery, praying that Weth didn't turn her rage upon her again.

"Remind me to never piss you off" Temmy said as the three of them phased back into solidity. Weth didn't bother to look up, just kept talking as she kicked.

"I thought you three would have gotten well away by now. This is no place for a couple of Trainees and a non-combatant". There was a long moment of silence as Weth continued to kick the unfortunate Praetorian, until finally she relented and turned back to face them. "If you are wondering where your father is Temeraire, I'm sorry but I don't know. They led me through so many tunnels, I have no idea where he is from here".

"My father isn't our primary concern; he can take care of himself. What we really need is that Seraph egg".

"You mean THIS Seraph egg?" They all turned to see Trenzilore, stood behind them, Lamb's egg in his palm. The man behind the mask was smiling; they could tell. He chuckled softly. "I find it curious Temeraire, that a goddess who is unable to support an angel, should invest so much into recovering the egg of one, at the risk of losing her own father". And he threw up a hand, using blood control to force them back. This time, Damascus was unable to help them; he was too fast and by the time that the devil could react, she was already under his control. Only Temeraire remained free.

"LET THEM GO!" she shouted and hurled herself at him, preparing to fight, blade against blade, her khukuri in hand. Before he blade stuck however, she felt her own blood lock in place, forcing her to a halt, her heavy knife an inch from her foe's throat.

"Tut, tut" the Oracle said, emerging from behind her Master, her own hand raised in a Blood Control spell. She was wearing Jago's Stetson. "It would seem that you ARE just like your father! He continued to fight me, right up until the end". Temeraire made a glance towards Damascus, who was very much alive, if in some considerable pain and the Oracle caught the gesture. "Oh, not dead if that's what you think… but broken". And she grinned sadistically. "You see, I've done unto him what he has done unto myself; I put out an eye as he is a bastard with no brains, I stabbed him in the stomach so he could swallow his pride and I broke his leg, so that he can limp down to Hell!" And Temeraire's eyes went wide as she heard this. Her father? Broken? It couldn't be! But there was a note of truth in the angel's words. And if Jago really had been beaten then… "However, he still resists our attempts to question him. You see, he alone knows the location of Lord Deaderuss and for that, I need you. Your friends however are… expendable". Expendable. To hear that word, coming from this foul thing that called herself and angel… it was horrifying. It was _wrong_. And it mattered not… because at that moment, they felt a presence.

"Someone is descending" Trenzilore said, breaking the Oracle's concentration and allowing Temeraire to drop to the floor.

"Who is it?" the Oracle demanded, looking up towards the roof of the cave. "Is it Lamb?"

"No, worse" Temeraire said. "MY MOTHER!" And she rolled, firing off a powerful wave attack, shattering the roof of the cave and letting in the light… as a shining ball of fury roared in, with an eagle shriek, swinging her mighty halberd around herself.

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Lind's halberd crashed against the Oracle's rapier as the blade was whipped out… and then the light sword shattered under the onslaught, allowing Lind to spin, bringing her halberd around and scything past the face of her opponent. Behind her, the rest of the little group collapsed to the floor, released from the clutches of Trenzilore's spell. But then the Oracle stepped forward, blocking Lind's halberd with her bare hands, gripping the heavy blade as the Almighty One wrestled against the angel.

"Brave but foolish!" the Oracle said, gritting her teeth against Lind's strength. "You should not have come alone Almighty One!"

"Who says I'm alone?" Lind chuckled back and then roared. "I HAVE TEN-THOUSAND VALKYRIES WITH ME!" It was then that the war-cries filled the tunnels as the Valkyries flooded the Forbidden Army's base, overrunning the sentries and pushing back the soldiers back, with the call to war;

"VALKYRIES!" they bellowed, filling the caves with their battle-cries as Lind winked at the Oracle.

"Looks like you're out of time" she said. The Oracle snarled and suddenly spun, kicking Lind in the chest and grabbed Trenzilore, the pair disappearing in a flash of light.

"MUM!" Temeraire said, moving to her mother's side but Lind shrugged her off.

"Dammit!" she said and turned to the others without so much as acknowledging her daughter. "Are you guys ok?" she asked as they struggled back to their feet.

"Well you've certainly mastered the art of arriving in the nick of time" Weth said, shaking herself to try and dispel the after-effects of Trenzilore's Blood Control. "Still, I think we all appreciate it". Lind nodded and then finally turned to her daughter.

"You're a damn fool Temeraire and by rights, I should kick your arse" she said grudgingly, "but right now, I have bigger problems". She scrambled back to her feet and swung around, using her halberd as a support. "Ok, Kitara, Weth, I want you two with me. We're going to clear out the deeper tunnels. And don't worry; your angels are waiting for you. Peorth is with them and will meet us at the Forward Command Centre. From there, we track down Trenzilore and the Oracle. They can't have gone far. In the meantime, I want Temeraire and Damascus to find Jago. Lamb has gone on ahead to tack him but we know he's hurt. Get him and GET OUT! That's an order. Understand?" They all nodded. "Good. Let's move out!"

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Lamb burst clean through the solid stone of the wall, grasping her buster-sword in both hands and taking the Praetorians on the far side by complete surprise. There may have been six of them but Lamb was in a blind fury, hacking and slashing with her heavy sword, pulling on close for a head-butt so vicious that she felt her enemy's skull break under the force of the blow. It was over in seconds, five dead, one hurt bad. Carefully, she approached the last one, grasping her by the collar and lifting her up.

"Where is my Master?" she said softly. "Tell me and I'll end your misery. Lie or try to hide the truth and I'll leave you to bleed to death". The Praetorian looked up at her in fear, seeing no sign of mercy in the amber coloured eyes that glared back and she gulped.

"I don't know where he is" she said and then gasped as Lamb pressed hard on a wound.

"I told you not to lie!" she hissed but the Praetorian shook her head desperately.

"I'm not lying! I'm not! I really don't know! He escaped and killed three guards in the process!" She gasped for breath, taking several deep ones before continuing. "The Paladin tricked us; the Oracle thought she had broken him but he faked it and waited until she was gone and stole a weapon from one of the guards…"

8888

Through the veil of pain that had settled over him, Jago had struggled to stay conscious. But he had to. They would need him alive and when the reinforcements came, he would be the first person the soldiers would kill. He had to escape. And so, he grinned as he called out to one of the guards.

"What do you want?" the Praetorian had asked, a huge woman with arms like tree trunks and jowls like a bloodhound. A cook possibly? But it didn't matter; all Jago had to do was trick her. Simple enough.

"Hey, I've been wondering something" he said. "Is it that your body is too big and fat for you teeny, tiny head? Or is it that you head is too teeny, tiny for your big, fat body?"

"WHAT?" the guard demanded and grasped him by his front, lifting him from the ground to stare into his one remaining eye. "WHY I- IF THE ORACLE HADN'T LEFT INSTRUCTIONS NOT TOKILL YOU WITHOUT HER WORD-!"

"Well I have one more question" Jago said calmly. And the guard looked down at his hands, in which he now grasped both her knife and handgun, having cut his ropes with the razor he kept concealed in his sock. "Are these yours?" he said with a grin.

8888

"…now he's loose in the tunnels! We were trying to track him down when you found us! But we don't know where he is, I swear! All we know is that he's going after Trenzilore! Please! That's all I know!" Lamb regarded her for a second and then nodded. And with a sudden, violent motion, she snapped the women's neck, killing her in a flash.

"Thank you for the information" she said calmly. "You have been most helpful".

"LAMB!" Lamb turned to see Temeraire and Damascus moving towards her, along the length of the tunnel.

"Temmy, Damascus, it's good to see you" Lamb said. "Searching for Master?"

"Yes" Damascus said heavily. "Lind sent us to look for him but when we checked the place where he was being kept-"

"He's escaped" Lamb said and pointed down the passageway. "I'm guessing that way".

"What makes you say that?" Temeraire asked.

"Because I saw Trenzilore and the Oracle go that way a minute ago".

8888

"Looks like everything is going according to plan" the Oracle whispered as she and Trenzilore stood alone in the final chamber of the tunnel system.

"Yes. It won't be long now" Trenzilore said. "Now, are you sure that you can get to where you need to be? And that our supporters will be there?"

"Don't worry" the Oracle said. "They hate Jago as much as they hate Heaven and Hell. They will come. And once he is out of the way, you can take Jeiko and I will take the rest of them, just as we planned. But first, make sure the new Seraph is activated. Our plan cannot work without her".

"Very well my love. I shall inform you when I have the final piece to this puzzle. And when we have the human we need" With that, Trenzilore leaned forward and with his mask raised a fraction; he kissed his angel gently on the lips. It was a deep kiss, with far more passion than would normally be savoured between an angel and her Master and she returned it with an equal vigour. And then they broke apart.

"Farewell my love" the Oracle said and with a flash of light, she disappeared once more. For the briefest of seconds, any watcher could have sworn that there was the image of a Gate behind her, but no normal Gate. An unregistered one. But then it was gone, as soon as it had come. And Trenzilore sighed.

"Well wasn't that touching?" Trenzilore turned sharply as Jago limped out of the passageway, grasping his side with one hand, his blood-spattered knife in the other. "So where's she headed? And why'd she take my hat?"

"Spoilers" Trenzilore said and sized up his opponent. Jago was in a bad way; the Oracle had put out his left eye with the hot iron, leaving nothing but a ragged, charred socket. His side was a similar story; although the heat had cauterised the wound and nothing major had been hit, it was still painful and when coupled with a broken leg, it mean that Jago was forced to use the wall for support as he moved towards his enemy. But his solitary eye glared with determination as he slowly hopped forward, menacing Trenzilore with his knife.

"So, are we going to stand here talking all day or am going to get to kill you?" Trenzilore grinned and drew his own side-arm; a crude knife, fashioned from a rib, fashioned into a sharp and powerful shiv.

"I thought you would never ask" he said. And so, they fought.

8888

Temeraire led the charge towards the final chamber, followed by Lamb and Damascus, bursting into the room as Jago and Trenzilore met in another bout of battle. And Jago was losing. Hampered as he was by his injuries, he couldn't move at speed and was forced to balance on one leg. Trenzilore however, was far more nimble and in a rapid move, he darted behind the Paladin and as the first squad of Valkyries, led by a pistol-wielding Peorth came charging in, Jago went down, his good leg kicked out from under him.

"DAD!" Temeraire shouted.

"MASTER!" Lamb and Damascus both cried and they started forward but Jago waved them back.

"NO! You mustn't interfere!" he shouted, stopping them in their tracks. He rolled painfully back to his feet and turned to face Trenzilore. "This is my fight; nobody is to interfere". With that, he went straight back into battle, charging in and slicing with his blade, missing Trenzilore , who slapped him on the back and sent him tottering forward.

"What's the matter with him?" Peorth whispered, sidling over to the Archs. "Why isn't he like… going Jupiter or something?"

"He's in too much pain; he can't concentrate" Lamb said. "But you needn't worry. This is my Master after all".

"Well he's getting his arse handed to him" Peorth whispered. And he was. Every time that Jago moved, Trenzilore moved faster. He would attack, move, dodge and block, far faster than Jago could. It was a hopeless situation. With a final shout, he attacked again, only to be knocked aside.

"Is this really all you have Twoarchs?" Trenzilore demanded with a sneer. "If this is your true power, then I wonder why I ever worried about you". With that, he grasped Jago by his front and pulled him to his feet, grinning into Jago's empty socket. "So what do you say? No witty comment? No clever turn of phrase to put me in my place?"

"Just one word" Jago said and he grinned. "Overload".

"Overload?" And Jago wrapped his arms around the masked man, pulling him into a crushing bear-hug.

"Overload" he said. And with that, he channelled all of the power of both Opal-essences into Trenzilore, blasting him with a full body attack. The room filled with light as energy poured from the Paladin and into his foe, causing every set of eyes to turn away or risk being blinded. When they looked back, Jago was still standing, although just barely. Trenzilore on the other hand, was on his knees, smoking gently. "Overload" Jago said with a gasp, swaying a little. "Nasty little fucker isn't it?" It was then that Lind pushed through the crowd, moving to stand beside her man.

"Jago! Bloody Hell! What happened to your face?" Jago gave her an exhausted look and shrugged.

"Long story. Not very interesting" he said.

"But your eye!"

"It'll grow back" he said and Lind shook her head. But now, they had more pressing issues. Jago's face could wait until later. "So, shall we find out exactly who this bastard is?" he asked, calling out to the still growing crowd of Valkyries. There was an affirmative cry. "Good" he said. And with that, he reached down, grasping Trenzilore's mask and pulled it away. And there was a collective gasp from them all. Here was someone who they knew well. He had once been aligned to Heaven but on the very last day of the war, thinking that the cause was lost and grieving for a lost love, he had turned against them and so, he hadn't been seen for thirty years. This was a man, whom both Jago and Lind, had once called friend. "My god…" Jago gasped. "_TROUBADOUR?!"_

**Authors Note: SURPRISE! Trenzilore is really Troubadour! That's right! That stuck-up, musical, plum-tree spirit is the commander of the Forgotten Army! Bet you didn't see that coming! **

**Also, sorry for the confusion with the last few chapters. I got asked to make a refresher chapter and wasn't sure where to put the note about it, after I bumped all of the other chapter's up one.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 11**

**So Now What?**

Lind moved quietly though the ranks of her soldiers, stopping occasionally to nod or return a salute. The operation had been a resounding success for them; in one fell swoop, the Forgotten Army had been defeated, completely wiped out by the force of the Valkyrie attack. So unprepared were they for the assault, that of the five-hundred plus soldiers who had been facing them, more than two hundred had been killed or wounded and the other three-hundred plus had surrendered without a fight. Now, the entire force was outside, kneeling in the snow, under the watchful eye of the Heavy Hitters, those elite Arch carrying Valkyries, each of whom was capable of taking a Praetorian on her own with ease. The other Valkyries were busy clearing the tunnels; checking for traps, doing an inventory on captured gear and caring for the injured on both sides, of which there were a considerable number. In all, aside from the two-hundred Praetorians, one-hundred and seventy Valkyries had been lost in battle; the most of any single operation since the Kronos war. True, it was a minor loss in the grand scheme of things and they could quickly make up the numbers but Lind felt every loss keenly. You see, she was a mother and as such, she knew that one-hundred and seventy mothers would be grieving tonight… to say nothing of the wives, husbands and children. And as was her custom, Lind would deliver the news of each death personally, to each lost soldier's next of kin. It was the least she could do for her girls. And there weren't just the dead to deal with; there were many injured too. Most would recover. Some would not. And it was one of these she went to see.

"OW! Look, is it going to grow back on not?" Jago demanded irritably as a group medics fussed over him. His belly and leg had been healed and now, they were trying to do something about his eye.

"Not likely" one of the medics admitted. "We can repair almost any damaged tissue but to regrow an organ? Possible but not easy".

"Well sod off then! Go and find someone else to pick over, you damn vultures!" The medic looked as if she was about to protest but then thought better of it. With a sigh, she nodded to her assistants and they departed, leaving Jago sitting alone on his back of tricks, fishing hopefully in his pocket for a cigarette.

"You know they're just trying to help" Lind said with a shake of her head. "They're medics; it's what they do".

"Well I call 'em a bloody nuisance" Jago said, giving up his search for a cigarette and turning to face Lind, who gave an involuntary shudder at the sight of Jago's empty left socket. "Nice, isn't it?" he asked. "I should get myself an eye patch, then I could do pirate impersonations".

"They really can't do anything about it?" Lind asked, trying not to stare at her man's now empty socket.

"Not a thing. Looks like you're married to a Cyclops now". Lind shook her head in dismay.

"I guess I'll get used to it" she said. "They didn't find her, you know. Gracious Penitence I mean they're still looking but-"

"She won't be in the tunnels" Jago said and reached DEEP inside one of his pockets, fishing something out from within; a cigar, as long as his finger and as fat as his thumb. "I saw her, just before she went. She used some kind of Gate to escape to… god knows where".

"Well I don't know" Lind said simply and then gave a half-smile. "You know, we're going to have to come up with a whole new set of phrases for people to use".

"I think we've been beaten to that one. "For God's sake" is now "for Lind's sake" for example". He put the fat cigar between his teeth, biting off the tip and then reached into his pocket for a match, striking it on his bag. "Gotta use a wooden match for a good cigar" he said to her questioning look. "Better flavour". He took a deep drag and then groaned softly. "Delicious". Then he paused and shook his head at Lind. "She took my hat, you know? Gracious Penitence I mean".

"Can't you get another one?" Lind asked.

"I could try" he said icily, "but I've had that hat for more than thirty years. It's MY hat. I'm very attached to my hat".

"So you need a new hat and an eye patch?" Lind asked quizzically.

"And a new set of lungs" Jago said. "And blood that isn't infested with parasites. And double steak burger with beans and extra cheese. And a straight shot of vodka. And I could also say something about a beautiful, blue-haired Valkyrie but this is a public place and there are _other_ blue-haired Valkyries".

"Well I can tell you, most of them aren't natural" Lind said, glancing sidelong at one such Valkyrie.

"Carpet and drapes don't match? Hmm…" He paused and then shook his head. "Ok, I'm gonna stop that line of inquiry. We are, of course, in the middle of Jötunheim". Lind nodded. There was a time and place after-all. She paused.

"Have you seen Temeraire? I need to speak to her" she said darkly.

"I would leave the chewing out until we get back to Heaven" Jago said. "Just as a little advice. Besides, she's a little busy right now. She is getting acquainted with Lamb's egg".

8888

Temeraire gently held the egg by its chain, inspecting it closely.

"It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt, over so small a thing" she said softly, admiring the tiny white oval with care.

"So it would seem" Lamb said, eyeing here cautiously as the pair of them sat together, apart from the main group of Valkyries. Following the defeat of Troubadour by Jago, he had been sure that Lamb had had her egg returned to her, for safe keeping. Temmy however, curious as to all the fuss that had been made over it, had asked to see it and was slightly underwhelmed. It LOOKED like a perfectly ordinary angel egg. It wasn't until she actually felt the egg, that she realised that there was something off about it. Something… strange. Something powerful. And she was drawn to that power. Even as the egg hung from its chain, she felt herself being drawn towards it and almost unconsciously, she found herself reaching for it with her spare hand. "Temmy" Lamb said and the girl snapped out of her trance, handing the end back. As she did so, she felt a slight shock; almost like a spark and she jumped a little.

"What was that?" she asked as she quickly withdrew her hand, as Lamb clutched the egg back to her chest.

"Sorry" she said. "That was me. Apparently, I'm still broody and a little protective". Temmy nodded and dismissed it.

"I'm sorry too" she said. "It's just that… well, it was strangely attractive. I didn't want to give it up".

"It's the same feeling I have" Lamb said, unfastening the chain and refastening it around her neck, carefully stowing the egg in her cleavage. "In fact, it would seem likely that most goddesses would have the same such feelings; the instinct to protect the next generation. Without this egg, we're screwed so…"

"I guess that makes sense" Temmy said with a nod. "At least we got it back anyway. Do you think they've made any progress in finding her a host?"

"I doubt it" Lamb admitted. "There are VERY few young goddesses without angels and the same goes for demons. I believe most of them have been tested but none of them so far have had the potential to control a Seraph". She shrugged a little. "Perhaps it's time to try some of the other races. I mean, our Master… your father, is the first confirmed case of a non-aligned human successfully controlling an angel but there are others".

"Uncle Keiichi?" Temmy asked to which Lamb frowned and shook her hand in a so-so gesture.

"Sort of. While it's been confirmed that he CAN support a standard angel for a short period, it severely drains his energy reserves. However, as he does appear to have Arch potential, which is what allowed him to look after Damascus during the whole Angel-Eater thing, so while HE wouldn't be able to support a Seraph, I don't see why another human might not be able to… or someone from another race, for that matter. Who knows; we could end up with a dwarf-powered Seraph. Or maybe a Jötunn one… now THAT could be a problem for us".

"I can imagine" Temeraire said. It was then that they both paused, seeing as there was a flurry of activity occurring throughout the Valkyrie unit. They were gearing up again, moving out.

"Looks like it's time to head off" Lamb said and Temmy frowned a little as she looked out across the crowd, to where her parents were just visible, over the heads of the other Valkyries.

"Mum' gonna royally chew me out" she said sourly, to which Lamb just shrugged again.

"What do you expect? Your dad too, most likely. But if it makes you feel any better, I'm on your side... and privately, your dad is too".

"Thanks Lamb" Temmy said. And she meant it. It felt good to know that SOMEONE at least was on her side.

8888

Lind peered over her steepled fingers at her daughter and her friends, glaring, not speaking. Jago stood close behind her, ready to intervene in the event that Lind exploded. So far however, all that had happened is Lind had stared ominously at the trio, making them shiver, even though the room was well warmed. It had been a tense trip back to Heaven for them, surrounded and escorted by the entirety of the Valkyrie forces. Some had smiled at them or winked, clearly pleased with their success in tracking down Forgotten Army. Others, particularly some of the older ones, had been almost indifferent to them, ignoring them completely, as if this had been just another op. And yet others had shot scolding and evil looks at them; most likely, those who had lost someone during the assault. Together, they had returned to Heaven, where Lind had relieved Belldandy of duty, allowing her to return to Earth, with an apology for having to summon her on such short notice, before summoning the three of them to her office. They had excepted a chewing out. This was worse. It must have been an hour before Lind finally spoke but when she did, there was none of her usual fire and steel in her. She seemed… defeated.

"You know… when I told you about the incident between myself, Jeiko and Tobruk, it wasn't meant to be a "follow my example" sort of thing Temeraire. I meant to try and STOP you from going out, not encourage you". She paused and glanced at Kitara and Yukio. "As for you two, you're just as dumb as she is. From what Jago told me, you almost DID get yourselves killed. I mean, what were you thinking? Going to the Jötunns for information? Surtr especially?" HAH!" Yukio made as if to speak but Lind shook her head. "It was a rhetorical question. And I can't really argue with the results. Sure, you almost started a war with the Jötunns and almost got yourselves killed. BUT, you also managed to find the Forgotten Army… even if all you did was ask Gandamak. And you did help to defeat the Forgotten Army. And this is what makes this situations o damn difficult; you disobeyed a direct order from your Almighty One, not to mention the problems with the Jötunns but it wouldn't do for me to be seen to punish the… heroes of the hour". She sighed and shook her head. "You see my problem?"

"If I might make a suggestion?" Temeraire said, stepping forward and causing Lind to raise an eyebrow. "Sorry; an observation then. The plan was mine and mine alone. The others-"

"Went with you, despite knowing that you were confined to the Bastion, contrary to my orders and were also involved in the incident with Surtr?" Lind offered, to which Temeraire paled. "Well, to be honest, I don't care. I can't punish you… not yet at least. I have a state funeral to organise for Lady Anzus and then, I've got to fight for my life to try and prevent Osiris making another pass at my job". The three girls looked confused, so it fell to Jago to explain it to them.

"One of the consequences of your mother having to come and rescue us; she couldn't be sure exactly how big an army we were facing and so, she deployed the WHOLE Valkyrie core. Unfortunately, Osiris got wind of this and is calling another Parliament meeting; he's aiming on dismissal on the grounds of incompetence, by leaving Heaven undefended. We know it's bull-shit and so does he; we have nothing to fear from a Jötunn attack at present and Hagall hasn't made any moves that would even be remotely hostile but he thinks he can use that to drag a few more people around to his side if he blows enough smoke". The trio were stunned.

"Is this true?" Kitara asked nervously. "Could you really lose your job?" Lind shrugged.

"It's a distinct possibility. Leaving Heaven with nothing but the Auxiliaries to defend it was, admittedly, a foolish move. However, I should still have enough support to pull through… provided that you three aren't here". She sighed and shook her head. "For the time being, I'm banishing you from Heaven. It's the only punishment that I can safely inflict on you three without losing the support of those goddesses who are grateful to you for finding the Forgotten Army, while still retaining the support of those who are angry at you". Both Kitara and Yukio opened their mouths to protest but Lind raised a tired hand, silencing them. "Do you have any better suggestions? Because if you do, I'd be happy to hear them. No? Good. Now, as far as you two are concerned, consider this a paid holiday. Yukio, you can go home and visit your parents. I've spoken to Belldandy and she is expecting you. As for you Kitara… I suppose your father will probably be willing to take you pro-tem. I know your mother and Urd are visiting often enough so…" She didn't care to mention how she knew this or why, she simply let it hang. But then she turned to Temeraire. "As for you; consider this an official disciplinary measure. You came _THIS_ close to losing your place in the Valkyries, my girl" she said, raising her hand, her thumb and index fingers a millimetre apart. "As such, your father and I have both agreed that some time on Earth will be beneficial for you. You will continue your training under your father's supervision until further notice. With luck, he'll be able to knock some damn sense into you".

"We agreed this, did we?" Jago asked. "When did we agree this?"

"Right now" Lind said and Jago shrugged.

"Can't argue with that" he said. Lind nodded and turned back to the girls, frowning.

"Ok, you three are free to go. I want you out of here inside the hour. As for Jago and I, we have an interrogation to attend".

8888

Troubadour lay alone in his sealed room, reclining on his bed, looking up at the ceiling. He and the rest of the Forgotten Army were each being held in solitary confinement, beneath the Bastion, in the most secure cells the world had ever seen; matter-locked, bio-locked, magic resistant and each protected by a nigh impenetrable Jupiter Shield, there wasn't a being in existence who could escape from something like this. Heck, they were even time locked, set so that they were a second out of sync with the rest of time, meaning that if they did somehow manage to break the defences, they would be cast into a null-void, a one way ticket to Ginnungagap, with no way of returning, even if they did acquire a Gate. A perfect prison. So it was with some surprise that the door suddenly opened, admitting a pair of figures. The minstrel sat up, grinning widely as the door slid shut behind them, leaving him alone with the pair.

"Almighty One, Paladin, why this is indeed an honour!" he said mockingly. "Why please, come in and take a seat! Let me offer you some refreshment!"

"Cut the crap Troubadour" Lind said sourly. "We don't have time for your games". Troubadour chuckled softly, turning to Jago.

"Still has a tongue like a barbed-wire fence, hasn't she?" he asked.

"If you say so" Jago replied curtly and Troubadour tutted.

"Now don't be like that" he said with a smile. "It's not like you're in any real hurry and I'm not going anywhere any time soon".

"That may be so" Lind said, "but I would prefer to get this over and done with as soon as possible. I can't stand the stench of traitorous filth". Troubadour's grin faded instantly and his eyes narrowed, glaring at Lind.

"You have a grey hair" he said. "Three inches back, right in the middle of the scalp. I didn't know that goddesses could even get grey hairs… what's the matter? The job too tough for you?" He then turned to Jago. "And you, I hear, aren't doing too well either? What is it, eighteen months they've given you? Well after that trip into Jötunheim, you can shave at least two off for a start".

"Well we're still doing better than you are" Jago retorted. "You look like a dog's arse". And it was true; Troubadour looked like he had seen better days. He had aged considerably since they had last seen him, during the final days of the Kronos War, his once handsome face was now deeply lined and with heavy bags under each eye. His once black hair had faded, now almost to white, becoming wispy and thin across his scalp. His voice too had become weaker; loosing much of its deep melody and becoming more of sharp rasp, no doubt due to the long exposure to the cold of Jötunheim. In all, he was a shadow of his former self, a shell of the once proud plum-tree spirit who they had once known. But his eyes sparkled with malice and he grinned at them.

"My body may be weak but my mind is still sharp… and my magic has increased enormously. I dare say I could challenge Damascus if given a chance".

"_I would like to see him try_" the devil muttered from inside her Master.

"_Shush!"_ he said back but couldn't hide the grin.

"Something funny?" Troubadour asked coldly.

"Not much. You're face mostly". Then Jago paused. "So where exactly is Gracious Penitence? And how can you support her anyway? I mean, I don't think you have Arch Potential".

"I was fortunate" Troubadour said. "When she came to me, though the cold and the snow, not long after you had banished her from her first Master, she had recently become and Arch once more-"

"We know that" Lind said irritably. "Get on with it".

"I was" Troubadour said with a touch of annoyance. "Anyway, when she came to me, she still had a touch of Empty in her… in fact, she still has it now. It wasn't much but it was enough for her to overcome my lack of Potential". He held up a pale, wrinkled hand, inspecting it casually. "It cost me my immortality, much to my dismay but in the end, it was a small price to pay, for I control the most powerful angel in existence; more powerful even than Lamb herself". He grinned wolfishly at Jago, knowing that Lamb would be watching and listening form within. "You hear that Lamb? I control your twin… and rather a lot she has told me too. Remember… Striking Twilight?" Jago felt Lamb's rage surge and had to fight to stop her from appearing, goaded as she was by the use of her original name. Nobody called her Striking Twilight anymore and for good reason. She had earned the name in battle, when she was less than an hour old, taking down a score of powerful demons, following the death of her Mistress's tutor. Lind however was unfazed by this psychological warfare and decided to draw some of the flack onto herself, before the powerful Arch did something she would regret.

"Is that why you killed Anzus? So that there would be no-one who could challenge your power?" Troubadour shook his head, looking genuinely upset.

"Anzus's death was regrettable; I had nothing personal against her. However, her death WAS necessary if we were to complete the Oracle's plan…"

"That being?" Lind asked.

"You think I am fool enough to reveal my plan to you?" Troubadour said. "It is still on-going. My capture was an… inconvenience certainly. But nothing more. The Oracle escaped and even now, she works to bring about the end of your time. Between us, we will destroy those who have done wrong by us; you Jago and your friend, Lord Sukaru".

"Now I still don't understand that" Jago said. "I mean, I can understand me being on Penitence's hit-list but… Jeiko? He never did any wrong by either you or her". With that, Troubadour leapt to his feet, his eyes burning red.

"Sukaru has been my bane for years! He was always the favourite of Lord Buddha and we fought like demons! And then I discover that not only has he married my beloved Urd but he is the father of her _child_?! He will suffer as I have been made to suffer… as shall you Jago! You forced Urd and myself apart, tricking her into becoming a demon! For this, I can never forgive you! So you will suffer also!" He turned on Lind, glaring. "And you see here? Your woman shall be the instrument of your destruction! Before this ends, I will turn Lind against you and you two will fight to the death once more!"

"Yeah… fat chance of that" Lind said sourly, folding her arms across her chest. "Jago and I are solid… more fool us, I guess. But there is no way you can turn us against one-another. We accepted each-other, warts and all, many years ago. YOU on the other hand, rejected Urd as a demon, something which may have been Jago's SUGGESTION but not trickery and so, you turned your back on us, going so far as to attack us in the Jötunberg. No Troubadour, Jago and I will not be turned against each-other; not like you and Urd". Troubadour glared, grinding his teeth but he sat down, not speaking. "Now, let me tell you exactly what IS going to happen; you and the rest of the Forgotten Army are to be confined here until you are deemed fit to stand trial, at which point, you will almost certainly be found guilty and from there, you can expect one of two fates; the lucky ones will be either executed or have their physical bodies confiscated and you will be imprisoned in the Lunar Dungeon until the end of time. The unlucky ones will be imprisoned in the Incubus Jail, again until the end of time". She gave a little shudder. "Pray that they take mercy on you and let you die fast… either that or you're going to need a butt-load of lube. No pun intended". Troubadour grinned, making Lind feel uneasy.

"We'll see" he said simply.

"Well I think that just about wraps up this interview" Jago said. "However, I still have a question for you Troubadour. And please remember; you don't have to answer because I will find the answer soon enough. However, it would certainly be useful to both of us if you do".

"Well go on then".

"Where is Gracious Penitence?" And he told them. It wasn't good. "Are you fucking kidding me? She's THERE of all places?"

"What's the matter Paladin? Scared?"

"No… but it's a bloody inconvenience. I guess that's why you sent her there, right?"

"Something like that" Troubadour said with a shrug. "Now, if you would excuse me, I think it's time for the two of you to go". He turned away, lying back down on the bed, signalling the end of the interview, making Jago and Lind turn away and head out. And he grinned to himself.

8888

"I want the guard on this floor tripled and an under-cover Valkyrie team watching Hervar, Kitara and Peorth's girls at all times" Lind said, turning to one of the guards outside the cell. The guard saluted and hurried away, as Jago and Lind started to make their way towards the exit.

"So how did he strike you?" Jago asked.

"Cocky, EXTREMELY confident and ruthless" Lind said coldly. "Even though he's been captures, he still thinks that he can win… and that worries me". She paused and turned to him, frowning. "Do you think he can really pose a threat to us? I mean, I know we have him sealed away for now but-"

"Him? I doubt it. Gracious Penitence? Almost certainly. That's why I'm going after her myself". Lind sighed and shook her head, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"You don't have to do this alone, you know? Just say the word and I can have a force of Valkyries to support you… heck, give me a five minute heads-up and I can be there myself".

"You know how I feel about that" Jago said calmly. "I have to do this myself, before I become too weak to do it at all. It's not like any other bugger can get the job done". Then he paused, cocking his head at Lind, frowning slightly.

"What?" she said and then yelped as he reached out and plucked a hair from her head. "OW! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!" she snapped, clamping a hand to her head.

"Well would you look at that?" Jago said, holding the hair up to the light. "You did have a grey hair". He snorted in mirth and then grinned down at her. "Must be getting old".

"Speak for yourself" she said coldly. "Wasn't it you who said you were a fifty year old sack of bad habits?"

"Marinated in tobacco smoke and alcohol" he added with a quip. "Gotta remember that bit… Now how can you have a grey hair? You look like a twenty-five year old super-model".

"It's one of those things. We may be immortal but it doesn't stop us going grey with stress. Don't worry though; so long as things get better from here, I should be able to stay blue". Remember what my father looked like when we met him?" Jago snorted. When he had first met the former Almighty One, he had had a black beard and a head of shockingly grey hair that would have put Einstein to shame. It was then however, that they were interrupted by a nervous voice.

"Lord Jago, Lady Lind?" The pair of them turned to see Yukio approaching them from the far end of the corridor.

"Yukio?" Lind asked. "What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you. I needed to speak to you before we left for Earth".

"Which reminds me; I'd better get going" Jago said. "Lind, could you fill me in whatever this is about. You know what's going on so…"

"You do what you have to do" Lind said and she kissed him on the cheek. "Good luck… don't get yourself killed".

"I love you too" he said with a wink and headed back out, while Lind turned her attention back to Yukio.

"So Yukio, can you walk and talk?" The young wish-granter nodded and they set off at a brisk pace, heading back to Lind's office. "So what do you want? I assume it's fairly important".

"It is" Yukio said. "I've been thinking about Temmy and-"

"If you're going to try and convince me to change my decision, then I'm afraid you're wasting your breath".

"No, it's not that. No, I've been thinking about Temmy's problem with self-control. I think… and this is only a theory but… well, here it goes; the reason that Temmy has no control is that she has little to nothing to care for. I mean, she has you and she has Lord Jago and Hervar but… well, she doesn't have an angel, she doesn't have any real friends, beyond myself and Kitara and she's firmly against having a boyfriend… or girlfriend even".

"Are you suggesting that I try and convince my daughter to hook up?" Lind asked and Yukio blushed red.

"What? No! Well… sort of. It's a little hard to explain".

"Well explain then". Yukio gulped and took a deep breath.

"I'm thinking… that we find Temmy an Apprentice". Lind stopped so suddenly that it was several paces before Yukio realised that she had left the Almighty One behind and so, she had to stop and hurry back to her.

"Ok Yukio, I would ask whether you had gone completely insane but as that appears to be the case, I won't bother. So, care to explain?" Yukio nodded sheepishly and cleared her throat.

"Well my thinking is this; Temmy needs someone to care for and to be responsible for but without some kind of partner, that would be difficult. However, an Apprentice WOULD most likely fulfil this need, hopefully curbing Temmy's recklessness in battle. Now, I know that normally only a full Valkyrie of the rank of Corporal or higher can take an Apprentice, as only they have the skills to manage one but I'm thinking-"

"It's a nice thought Yukio" Lind said. "But it has one glaring flaw; I can't force anyone to become the Temmy's Apprentice; she has to make it known that she is available to train new Valkyries and then new Apprentices have to approach her. And there are precious few who would be willing to train under her, especially after Copenhagen and doubly so now, with the whole Jötunheim thing. Besides, few mothers will want their daughters training under a known Valkyrie killer".

"I know" Yukio said. "But I've been thinking about it and I MIGHT have found someone who would be willing to work with her". Lind narrowed her eyes, not sure she was going to like what Yukio said next.

"Who?"

8888

Temmy grunted as she finished tying the final knot on her bundle, slinging it over her shoulder so that it sat comfortably beside her pack. She had completely cleaned out her room… what little she processed anyway. Her entire wardrobe consisted of a dozen Valkyrie uniforms and a single civilian robe of bronze and green, now several sizes too small for her. The last time she had worn that, it had been her… she couldn't remember. It was a birthday of some kind, she thought. Or perhaps a Christmas party? She couldn't quite remember. Either way, she hadn't worn it for years. Why she had kept it, she wasn't sure… Apart from that, it was all she had. Her cloths, her halberd, her khukuri, her bedding. That was it. No memorabilia, no nick-knacks, no posters, no battle trophies. Her room had even less in it than her mother's, back when she had been a full Valkyrie. Nothing to lose, nothing to regret... She started at a knock at the door and turned to see Lind stood in her doorway, her face grim. She had changed out of her battered Valkyrie leathers, back into her pale blue business-suit and heels, although she still had her seax knife strapped to her belt, as it always was. The pair stared uncomfortably at each other for a few seconds, each waiting for the other to speak. Finally, it was Lind who broke the silence.

"So? Are you going to invite me in or not?" Temmy shrugged.

"You're the Almighty One. You can go wherever you damn well please".

"True… but it's still best to ask". Temmy just shrugged and Lind sighed, stepping inside and closing the door. "Well will you at least hear me out? I mean, I am trying to help". Again Temmy shrugged. "I'll take that as a yes" Lind said. "Look Temmy, I know what you are trying to do; you want to be a Valkyrie. That's fine. But at the rate you are going, no-one will ever work with you. You are far too impulsive and reckless for your own good. To be fair, I shouldn't complain as I used to be just like you… but that's why I'm sending you to Earth. Your father is just about the only one who can possibly break you without getting either himself or you killed. But there is also another reason". Temeraire raised her head a little, giving her mother a cautious look. "As much as your father needs to look after you, I need you to look after your father". Temmy… actually laughed.

"You're joking right?" she said. "Me? Look after Dad? Why would he need me? Isn't he the Paladin? Shouldn't he be able to do that himself?"

"Your father tries to do too much. He thinks he can take on the world… but even with his immortality, he is not a young man. His power is weakening… I assume you know that Lamb and Damascus have lost their ability to go Prime?" Temeraire nodded. "Well do you know why?" She shrugged.

"Something about that last battle with Deaderuss. Apparently they were both injured and-"

"That's not even half of it" Lind said, shaking her head. "Temmy, your father is dying". The young demi-god felt her blood run cold. This was the third time she had heard this but the first couple of times, she had thought it was nothing but bluster. Coming from the lips of her mother, the Almighty One however…

"How can that be?" she asked. "Dad's… he… he's the Paladin! Not to mention that he's immortal!"

"Immortality doesn't mean invulnerability" Lind said sadly. "It's difficult to explain but to put it simply, your father's lungs are failing. Human medicine can't help him anymore and using magic will just kill him faster. That's part of the reason I want you to go with him; I can't be certain but it seems likely that his powers will begin to fail soon… and when that happens, I want you to be there to pull him out of the fire". She grasped Temeraire by the shoulder, squeezing hard, her piercingly blue eyes filled with an icy intensity. "This is a direct order from both your Almighty One and your mother; for your own sake, for mine and for the greater good, keep your father alive. Do not let him fail. He thinks he's invincible but really, he's a loony. He tries to do too much, thinking he can change the world on his own… and that's just going to kill him faster". She paused and relaxed a little, releasing her grip on Temmy's shoulder. "He's aiming for eighteen months... keep him alive till at least sixteen have passed".

"What will happen when he dies though? Who will replace him?"

"That would most likely be Weth. She's strong and has proven her loyalty, despite her past affiliations with Lord Deaderuss. But I think we will both agree that she is not even in the same league as your father". Lind paused and shook her head. "I'm afraid that's all I have to say. Any comment?"

"Not really" Temmy said.

"Good. In that case, I have to be at the Parliament meeting soon. I'll tell you whether I'm still the Almighty One in a few hours. First however, I need to introduce someone to you".

"Who?"

"Your traveling companion".

8888

Temeraire was shocked when she saw the man or rather, the boy, she would be travelling with. She recognised him alright; he was the Forgotten Army guard they had captured just before entering the caves. The one with the angel known as Bloody Thorn.

"Him? He's my travelling companion?"

"More than that; he's to be your Apprentice" Lind said. Temeraire turned to her in dismay.

"My what? But mu- Almighty One, I'm not even a full Valkyrie! How can I possibly-"

"You will do as you are told" Lind commanded sternly. "I want you to reform this man and keep him alive. This is your main task while you are staying with your father; to turn him into a loyal supporter of Heaven, preferably a Valkyrie. Now, you may ask why I chose an ex-Praetorian as your Apprentice. Well, my reasoning is this; he's yet to be trialled but he would most likely receive the death penalty for treachery. Also, he was only an Apprentice himself when he changed sides, one of the few non-Praetorians to side with Deaderuss. As such, he is expendable so if he DOES end up being killed, then it is no great loss to us. But like I said, YOUR job is to ensure that he ISN'T killed". She clapped her hand to Temeraire's shoulder and looked her daughter in the eyes. "Don't trust him, don't get attached to him, keep him alive. Nothing more. Think you can manage that?" Temmy nodded nervously. "Good". With that, her mother turned away, heading back towards the Bastion, leaving Temmy standing awkwardly with the young god.

"So…" she said cautiously. "It looks like I'm your Mistress then".

"So it would seem" the man said with distaste. "But make no mistake, I took this deal to save my own skin. You heard that whore; I either said yes to you training me or I faced having a nail driven into my skull. I have no intention of being your friend, never mind your Apprentice. In fact, I daresay, I am more powerful and skilled in a fight than you are".

"You do realise, that the woman you just called a whore, is not only the Almighty One but also my mother" Temmy said, her voice suddenly becoming icy as she glared at him, flashing her short fangs.

"Well I guess that makes you a whore-daughter". Temeraire struck so fast that god would never have had chance to react. She struck him full in the stomach with her fist, swivelled and round-house kicked him in the side of his head, knocking him flat. He tried to struggle up but she landed on his chest with both knees, knocking the breath out of him and then pinned his hands with her knees, straddling his chest, her khukuri in her hand.

"Don't you ever insult my mother!" she hissed, pressing down almost hard enough to break the skin. "Now, I have no choice over whether or not I train you; I have to. As such, I'm going to try and make the best of this situation, as I suggest you do too. Do you understand me?" She paused. "Blink twice if you understand". He blinked twice. "Good". She rolled off of the top of him and scrambled to her feet, before turning and holding out her hand to him. "They call me Temeraire or Temmy for short. What about you? You have a name?" The boy nodded, carefully reaching up and taking her hand.

"Well you know my angel, Bloody Thorn" he said. "As for myself? They call me Beregond".

8888

As a trio, Temmy, Kitara and Beregond stepped through the Gate and into the Guardian Corp base. Jeiko was waiting for his eldest daughter and she waved goodbye to them as she followed him from the building.

"So… is there somebody supposed to be meeting us?" Beregond asked.

"My dad… I think" Temmy said, looking around the atrium that served as the public access to and from the Bifrost Gate. "He should be here. I mean, he knows we're coming so-"

"Temmy!" They pair turned to see not Jago but Damascus hovering across the chamber from them, waving to them over the heads of the crowd.

"Damascus?" Temmy asked as they approached her. "I wasn't expecting to see you here. What are you doing here? And where's Dad?" Damascus frowned.

"Sorry Temmy, but your father is err… unavailable at the moment. Both he and Lamb are on a mission at the moment, trying to sort some things out but they sent me to pick you up". The devil then paused and jerked her head at the nervous looking Beregond. "Who's he? Is he with you?"

"He's my Apprentice, apparently. Mum sent…." Her voice faded away at the look of confusion of Damascus's face. "Let me guess; this is the first that you've hear about this".

"Yes" Damascus said with a grim nod. "It looks like your mother has been up to stuff behind our back again". She paused and leaned forward, inspecting his face. "Isn't this one of the douche-bags we captured in Jötunheim, a little while back?" she asked and Temmy nodded.

"Yeah. Mum doesn't want to risk me killing anyone who might actually be useful the long run. As such, she's given me an expendable Apprentice, so I can learn to control my recklessness".

"Is it working?"

"I've known him less than an hour and I've already tried to kill him".

"I'll take that as a no then". The devil straightened and turned back to face Temeraire. "Well there's no point in hanging about. Come on, I'll take you home". Temmy nodded and hefted her bag.

"Ok, you lead". Damascus turned away and started to drift towards the exit. "Umm, if you don't mind me asking, where is Dad?" she asked cautiously.

"To be honest, I'm not sure. He said something about meeting up with Nyeusi Chui and then he had to head off to speak to someone about the Seraph. Apparently, he thinks he's found a way to see whether the host will be a human or not…"

8888

Jago grunted as he stepped through the Gate and into the Land of the Dead, shaking himself a little.

"Eww… why is it that Gate always makes me feel slimy?"

"Maybe it's because she spent thousands of years at the bottom of the ocean?" Lamb ventured, hovering beside him.

"Yeah, maybe" he said and then straightened himself, adjusting his eye-patch. "So, what do you reckon?"

"We follow the wisps" Lamb said, point out into the fog, to where a pale blue flame burned at about head-height. "They always seem to know the way". Jago nodded and the pair set off, following the trail of Will-of-the-Wisps through the gradually thinning mist, until at last, they reached the ancient jetty from which they could summon the boat to cross the river Styx; the river that separated the landing place and its marsh from the Land of the Dead proper. As before, Lamb ducked back inside so that they wouldn't be double-charged for crossing the river and Jago tugged the cord of the summoning bell. And from the distant shore, they heard the sound of the mighty drums beating.

"Looks like they're on their way" Jago muttered, straining to see through the fog, which boiled across the surface of the river, like smoke across a mirror. And through the mist, their came the unmistakable shape of the great long-ship. A hundred feet long, its prow was carved into the face of a snarling dragon, sitting high and proud of the water. The great banks of oars swept the water with barely a ripple, rising and falling in beat to the drums, while the great sail remained lashed to the cross-beam, high up the mast. And slowly, the ship began to turn, docking against the jetty. A handful of the skeleton crew, composed of actual skeletons, leapt down and started shout orders in thick, Jamaican accents and they proceeded to tie the ship up against the dock. And it was then that Charon, the Captain ship descended, gave Jago one look and said;

"Oh no! Not you again!"

"Well that's not very nice" Jago said to the hulking Viking. "I thought we were friends".

"Friends? Hah! You caused all kinds of trouble last time you were here! And the time before that too! I ask you; going into Ginnungagap to rescue a goddess who's been kidnapped by Gleaners? It's the stupidest thing I ever heard of!" He paused and glanced around. "Where's that other one? The human?"  
"Keiichi? He's not here. Just me today". Charon glared and folded his arms.

"Fine. So what do you want?"

"I need to speak to D. I need some help from a friend of mine".

"A dead friend? Not likely. But I can carry you across, so long as you pay me".

"You know the deal; not until you carry me across". Charon glared but he nodded and soon, Jago was once more on the sandy beach of that made up Death's inner domain. But there was no sign of Death anywhere. "Yo! D! Where are you?!" he shouted into the jungle, cupping his hands to his mouth. "Where is the daft bugger?" he muttered, scanning the beach but not seeing him.

"He's not here" a voice said and they turned to see a figure emerging from the river. "But maybe I can be of assistance?" Jago wasn't sure whether to be shocked or confused, so he settled on a mixture of the two.

"Anzus?" he asked. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm dead, remember? I had my brains blown all over the wall, in front of a crowd of millions".

"I didn't mean that" Jago said. "I mean what are you doing out of the river? Especially dressed like… well, that". Anzus looked down at the sparkling blue and cream bikini and shrugged.

"What can I say? D has a liking for pretty women".

"But what about Tyr? What would he say?" A moment of guilt flashed across the former Seraph's face.

"That's… a little difficult to explain. There are two choices when you come here; you either stay in the river until you reach the confluence, at which point you are either swept left, in which case, you go to Paradise or right, in which case, you go to the Bad Fire… think the traditional versions of Heaven and Hell but for EVERYBODY, even gods and demons, although they are generally judged on their own species merits of good and evil, rather than via some grand, overall definition. However, you can also choose to remain here on the island with D, in which case you will remain here for a certain amount of time and then you will be given a chance at reincarnation".

"And you took that?"

"Yes… as did Lamb's Mistress, if you remember". Lamb appeared slowly form Jago's back, looking nervous.

"My Mistress?"

"Yes" Anzus said. "She was reincarnated, not long ago. I couldn't tell you as who or what but Lady Serenity has passed on". Lamb looked dismayed and hung her head, giving a deep sniff. But then she raised it again, giving a weak smile.

"Well, so long as she's happy" she said.

"Oi!" Jago said, wiping the tears from his own eyes. "You're making ME emotional!" Lamb chuckled and then turned to Anzus.

"So, we originally came to see D but as you're here, would you be able to help us?" she asked. Anzus cocked her head and pursed her lips.

"Well that depends; what do you need?"

"We came to ask about the Seraph. The… new one that is" Jago explained awkwardly. Anzus nodded calmly and closed her eyes.

"I'm not the one to ask. You want my girl". And then she called her out; the third Seraph. "Come forth… Alpha and Omega".

8888

Both Jago and Lamb gasped as the mighty angel appeared behind Anzus, shining and brilliant, so bright that they could not look directly at her, instead having to shield their eyes.

"Fear not" she said in a voice like a crystal melody, spreading her wing wide. "I mean you no harm".

"Well it would be nice if we could see you" Lamb said, shielding her eyes.

"Oh… sorry" the angel said and the light faded, revealing herself in her true form. She was beautiful; tall and slim, with an elven face and hair the colour of spun gold. Unlike the simple wraps of most angels, the Seraph wore a flowing robe that looked white but constantly rippled, in a mesmerising way, not so much showing, as _suggesting_ an infinite number of other colours, including several that should not usually be visible to the human eye. Hey eyes were deep green. Her skin was fair and free of blemishes. And her wings… oh, wings! She had three sets of them, two of which grew from the sides of her head, one set about a foot long, the other closer to three. And her shoulders, there sprouted a pair of wings than spanned from horizon to horizon, too large to measure. All were as white as snow and seemed to shine with inner an inner light of their own, even though she had now turned down their intensity. Lamb had a set of truly beautiful wings and at twenty feet across, they marked her as one of the most powerful beings in existence. However, she paled in comparison to the angel before her. Here was one of TRUE power, far surpassing even Hades in strength. If Anzus had been fully unlimited during the time of the Kronos War, she could have defeated Kronos, Deaderuss and Gracious Penitence with a wave of her hand… and then probably extinguish all of creation with a careless sneeze. But now, the angel chuckled, her face filled with smiles. "You have nothing to fear from me" she said softly. "I have no power here. But you may call me Alpha and Omega if you wish".

"Um… ok" Jago said. "So… you were the Seraph?"

"Yes" Alpha and Omega said. "And now, I'm guessing that you want my help in locating the new one, correct?"

"Partly" Lamb said. "We have already located her egg. In fact, I have her with me". She reached to the tiny chain around her throat, unclasping it and holding up the tiny oval.

"May I?" the Seraph asked, holding out a hand and Lamb nodded, carefully handing over the egg. "So this is my successor?" she asked. "Well she's not much to look at now, is she?" She chuckled. "But she'll grow. If I may ask, who was the mother?"

"I was" Lamb said. "That is to say, the egg is mine".

"Yes, that would make sense" Alpha and Omega said. "I too was born to the most powerful angel of that time, apart of course, for my previous Seraph. It seems to be a recurring pattern". But then the angel frowned, handing back the egg. "But if you already have the egg, why would you come here? Would do you hope to achieve?"

"We seek a host for her but after thorough scanning, we were unable to discover anyone with a Seraph Potential, in either Heaven OR Hell. We were hoping that if nothing else, we might someone here who could help us".

"Well I'm afraid WE can't" Anzus said sadly. "Both Alpha and Omega and I are prohibited from providing any information on our successor".

"Well that's ok" Lamb said. "We weren't expecting to find you here, although it was a nice bonus. No, we've come up with a theory… sorry, a hypothesis, that the next Seraph may in fact be born to one of the other races".

"And so you came here because…?"

"We want to speak to someone who knows the ins and outs of humans. Plus, he might be willing to help us". Both Anzus and Alpha and Omega shook their heads.

"You don't mean…"

"Yes" said Jago. "We want to speak to Prometheus".

**Authors Note: Sorry for the wait. It's hard to keep going at the pace I was. But don't worry, a chapter a week is about what I was doing when I started writing this stuff and it's still manageable so that's what I'm aiming for. Oh and a couple of other things; Archfall has just reached 3000 hits (actually, 3010), so that's something good. Also, happy Halloween and… in case I don't have a chapter done by then, best wishes on Guy Fawkes Night and Poppy Day.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 12**

**Comings and Goings**

The four of them stepped through the portal and descended towards the surface; the pale pink hilled landscape that made up the surface of the Titan's hand. But from there, Anzus and the Seraph refused to go any further.

"Like I said, we have no power here" Alpha and Omega said. "If the Gleaners show up, I need to be able to get us out of here as soon as possible".

"Alright, you can wait here" Jago said. "We shouldn't be too long". With that, both he and Lamb set off, leaping from ridge to ridge; the raised surface of the Titan's fingerprints. It wasn't for some distance that they decided to stop; far enough to avoid the attention of the Gleaners, which tended to cluster around the portal, but not so far that they couldn't get back to said portal in an emergency. And then, Jago called up Brother Pluto… and they sat down to wait. It wasn't long until they sensed it; the being they had come to seem. The sky darkened from white to a deep brown, as slowly, the great eye of the Titan rounded on them, vast beyond all comprehension; so huge that a hypernova would have seemed to have been nothing more than a speck in the vastness. And in a voice, both as loud as the boom of a dying sun and as soft as the whisper of a breeze through the trees, the Titan Prometheus spoke.

"IT HAS BEEN FAR TOO LONG PALADIN" he said, his voice seeming to echo across time and space. "WE HAVE NOT SPOKEN FOR THE BETTER PART OF THRITY YEARS".

"This is true" Jago said, standing and craning his head back to stare up into the vast orb. "We made it though".

"SO IT WOULD SEEM. I WONDERED WHETHER YOU WOULD HAVE THE STRENGTH TO CHALLENGE KRONOS, EVEN WITH THE HELP OF THE OPAL-ESSENCE, BUT IT WOULD SEEM THAT YOU WERE SUCCESSFUL".

"Yeah, thanks to them and my girls. Without Lamb and Damascus, I wouldn't have stood a chance". The great eye twitched a little, focusing on Lamb.

"I SEE. SO THIS MUST BE THE OTHER ARCH… THE ANGEL RATHER THAN THE NIGHTMARE. I DON'T THINK WE WERE EVER PROPERLY INTRODUCED".

"Well I'm Lamb and we all know who YOU are; Prometheus the Titan, creator of man… and the one then attempted to destroy his own creations" she said sourly.

"I WAS SIMPLY FOLLOWING ORDERS" Prometheus said. "WHEN KRONOS ORDERED THE DESTRUCTION OF MAN, WHO WAS I TO ARGUE WITH HIM? I SUPPOSE THAT THAT IS LITTLE EXCUSE REALLY…" The Titan paused, seeming to contemplate something. "HOWEVER, THAT IS ALL IN THE PAST NOW. AS THIS IS UNLIKELY TO BE A SOCIAL VISIT, I AM ASSUMING THAT YOU REQUIRE MY ASSISTANCE IN SOME FORM". Lamb glanced at Jago, who nodded.

"Yes. We've reached a crisis and… well, in all honesty, we have run out of ideas. I was hoping that you might be able to provide us with some insight that may lead to a resolution".

"SO IN SIMPLE TERMS, YOU WANT MY HELP?"

"Yes" Jago said again and proceeded to explain the situation with the Seraphs; the capture and execution of Anzus, the defeat of the Forgotten Army and the recovery of the egg and now, the search for a viable host for the new Seraph. All the while, Prometheus listened attentively, not speaking, absorbing the information.

"I SEE" he said finally. "SO YOU HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO LOCATE THIS NEW HOST?"

"Correct" said Lamb. "It wasn't until we captured Troubadour that we realised that it might be possible for the next Seraph to be a being other than a god or goddess. To put it simply, we were wondering whether it would be possible for you to help us locate a host, if there was one within the human race". Prometheus was silent for a long while, before he blinked slowly.

"NO" he said simply. "IT'S NOT THAT I CAN'T OR WON'T HELP YOU, IT'S THAT IT IS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR A HUMAN TO SUPPORT A SERAPH. A STANDARD ANGEL OR DEVIL IS HARD ENOUGH ON A HUMAN BODY AND TRYING TO SUPPORT A PAIR OF TWINS WOULD KILL MOST HUMANS. ONLY THE ARCH IS SUSTAINABLE BY A HUMAN HOST… THERE MAY WELL BE THOSE WHO COULD SUPPORT THEM BUT IN TRUTH, IT WOULDN'T BE MUCH POINT; THE SERAPH WOULD SIMPLY REQUIRE TOO MUCH ENERGY FOR A HUMAN TO SUPPORT. I AM SORRY". Both Lamb and Jago hung their heads.

"Then we're screwed" Jago muttered. "There's no damn way we can check every member of every race before the energy stores run dry".

"IF I MIGHT INTERJECT" Prometheus offered, "WHILE THERE ARE NO HUMANS CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING A SERAPH, I CAN TELL YOU WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY, THAT THERE ARE _TWO_ GODS WHO COULD BE HOSTS". Both Lamb and Jago jerked their heads back up at this news.

"What?" Jago asked. "What do you mean? We've checked EVERY being in both Heaven and Hell for Seraph Potential. There is not a single being who could be a Seraph-caster-"

"THERE ARE TWO" Prometheus said again. "I CAN DETECT THEM EVEN NOW. I COULD NOT TELL YOU THEIR NAMES BUT… I CAN TELL YOU ROUGHLY WHERE TO FIND THEM".

"Well then, please do!" Lamb said as Prometheus cleared his throat.

"THE FIRST OF THEM, A MALE, IS LOCATED WITHIN THE LUNAR DUNGEON, WHERE HE IS BEING HELD CAPTIVE. HOWEVER, I AM ASSUMING THAT THIS BEING IS _NOT_ THE ONE YOU WOULD PREFER?"

"Damn right".

"IN THAT CASE, YOUR BEST BET IS THE SECOND ONE. A FEMALE. SHE IS LOCATED SOMEWHERE ON EARTH… ALTHOUGH WHERE I COULD NOT TELL YOU".

"And why not?" Jago asked sceptically.

"LISTEN PALADIN, I HAVE BEEN TRAPPED IN THIS DIMENSION FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS! THE LASTY TIME I WAS ON THE SURFACE, THE TOWER OF BABEL HAD JUST BEEN DESTROYED! I DO NOT KNOW THE NAMES OF ALL THE PLACES IN THIS WORLD OF YOURS, SO I CANNOT BE MORE PRECISE!"

"Oh… sorry" Jago said. "I didn't mean to upset you". Prometheus continued to glower but the pair sensed that the Titan was beginning to calm.

"I APPOLOGISE TOO. TEN-THOUSAND YEARS IN GINNUNGAGAP IS ENOUGH TO AGREVATE ANY BEING. NOW HOWEVER, I REQUEST SOMETHING FROM YOU LORD PALADIN, IN RETURN FOR MY SERVICES. IT ONLY SEEMS FAIR, SINCE I HAVE PROVIDED YOU WITH INFORMATION".

"Well it depends what you want" Jago said wearily. "So… what DO you want?"

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Anzus and Alpha and Omega were waiting anxiously when Jago and Lamb finally returned.

"So? Were you able to find my successor?" Jago shrugged while Lamb wiggled her hand in a so-so gesture.

"Possibly. There are apparently TWO possible beings who could be Seraph hosts, according to Prometheus. One however, isn't viable; he's some kind of traitor who's been imprisoned on the moon… hopefully, well away from the lunar colonies" Lamb said with a sour look.

"Well what about the other one?" Anzus asked.

"The other one? SHE is on Earth somewhere, although that's all we could get out of him" Jago said. He shook his head. "We know she's a goddess though… how she slipped through our scans, I don't know but I suppose we can find out soon enough".

"But how can that be?" Anzus asked. "Didn't you scan ALL goddesses when you started this whole thing?"

"Every goddess and demon in Heaven, Hell and most of Earth but there are a few who in deep cover situations behind the Humanist lines; ones we couldn't pull out for fear of losing them. Luckily, I now have a hunch as to who our mystery goddess is, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem to find her".

"Well I'm glad that you've managed to achieve what you came here for" the former Seraph said. "And I'm sorry that we couldn't have been of more assistance to you".

"Well considering that you're dead and we weren't expecting to meet you here, you have been amazingly helpful" Jago said. "Especially since we would have been stuck, unable to actually get here, without someone who can open the portal. Now though, Lamb and I need to get back to the surface. We have a promise to keep to Prometheus, in return for the information he gave us".

"What's that?"

"He wants" Lamb said with an exasperated sigh, "a television".

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"So that's where you went!" a male voice said in greeting, as they stepped out of the portal and back into the Land of the Dead. "You shouldn't wander off like that Anzus! I go start thinking that you reincarnated!" It was then that the tiny, wizened Jamaican man narrowed his eyes, frowning at Jago. "Oh, so it's you again! What you doing here? You not supposed to be here for months man!"

"It's good to see you too D" Jago said, smiling at Death as he furrowed his eyebrows at him. "We came to see Prometheus but we missed you on the way in, so Anzus offered to help us out". D grunted and turned away.

"Well don't think I'm gonna offer you a beer, 'cause I'm not man! So… you wanna beer?"

"Always in the mood for a beer" Jago said with a grin and both he and Anzus followed him towards the tiny beech-shack, with its open bar and thatched roof of palm leaves, where the Lord of Death kept his beer.

"So what's been happening?" D asked, popping the cap off of a beer with his teeth and taking a swig, before sliding one across the counter to Jago. "You not managed to get yourself killed yet, I see. Although…" and he pointed at Jago's eye-patch, "I see you been trying".

"Yeah… last few weeks have been killer. If you'd pardon the pun". D grinned his gap-toothed smile and shrugged.

"Whatever. So, why you come to see Prometheus anyways?"

"We came to speak to him about the Seraph. I guessing you know about death of the last one?"

"Of course I know! She's stood right beside you!" Jago glanced guiltily at Anzus, who was busy punishing a bottle of tequila through a silly-straw. She smiled around her straw and gave a little wave, a sight which was comical enough for Jago to chuckle at, before turning back to D. "So what did you find out anyways? Anything good man?"

"A bit. I have a lead as to where I can find the next Seraph's host. We already have the egg, now we just need to find this host… that's why we came here".

"So where is this host?"

"Well one is on the moon, so he's out of the question. The other one however, is a goddess and she's somewhere on Earth".

"That's it?"

"That's it". D frowned and drained his beer.

"Shit man, you been robbed. The Earth got nearly ten billion people! Finding one goddess in all that? That's like looking for the hay in the needle stack! And you working against the clock too!" he said as Jago started to cough; a deep rasp that sounded every bit as unpleasant as it felt. "You see what I mean? You ain't gonna last long enough to find her, if you not careful". Jago grimaced and wiped the blood from his lips with his sleeve.

"Well is there anything that you can do that can give me a bit more time?" he asked hopefully.

"Sure, I can cure you".

"Really? How?"

"Oh, lots of ways man. We could press you flat under a pyramid. Or we could feed you to a dinosaur. Or squish you with a steamroller. Or blow you up with dynamite. Or puree you in a liquidizer. Or boil you in molten lead. Or dress you in a cat suit and throw you in a kennel. Or-"

"I think he means, are there any ways that can cure him and survive" Anzus offered.

"Oh…" D said. "In that case no, I can't do anything". He gave Jago a sympathetic look. "You as dead as the dodo man. Not a thing I can do for you".

"Well it was a long shot anyway" Jago said, finishing his beer. "Thanks anyway. Now though", he glanced at his watch, "it's time for me to be getting back. My daughter is coming to stay and while Damascus was supposed to pick her up, I can never be sure…"

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"Who the Hell are you?" These were Jago's first words after stepping through the Death Gate and into the garden outside his house, just as Damascus and co were crossing the bridge over the moat, hoping to avoid the attentions of Gustav the crocodile.

"Well I would have thought you would have recognised me by now" Damascus said. "I mean, we have been living together for the last thirty years". Jago shook his head.

"No, not you. I mean HIM" he said, pointing at the young god who was cautiously following Temeraire across the bridge.

"This is Beregond" Temeraire said sourly. "Apparently, he's my Apprentice".

"And since when did this happen?"

"Since Mum told me to take him as one. I'm supposed to keep him alive".

"Why does your mother never tell me these things?" Jago asked and then paused. "Isn't he one of the douchebags we captured the other day?"

"Gee, thanks" Beregond said.

"He is" Temeraire said. "I'm supposed to reform him".

"Well whatever" Jago said, pulling out a cigarette. "You're here now. So… welcome to Buggerup. We you be staying long?"

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"So this is where you will be staying" Lamb said, showing Temmy into the room. "Try not to break anything; this is my room". Temmy shrugged off her pack beside the door and glanced around the room.

"Why do I have to stay in your room? Doesn't Dad have a spare room or something?"

"He does but your new friend is in that one".

"He's not my friend" Temmy said bitterly. "I had no choice in the matter. I HAD to take him… and now I'm supposed to keep him alive for… well, an indefinite period". Lamb nodded and then she paused.

"I have to admit, it is a pretty clever idea. Let's see just how far it gets you". She paused again, cocking her head. "You say for an indefinite period?"

"I'm guessing until either he reforms or I manage to get him killed. Either that or possibly until Dad-" She stopped suddenly, not daring to meet Lamb's eyes.

"So you know, do you?" the Arch asked. "Well to be honest, it's not really surprising. You're probably the LAST goddess to know about Master's cancer. And to answer your question, it was Osiris who told everybody. He was trying to use it as ammunition against your mother, during the last Parliament". She sighed and sat down on the bed. "It's a problem, I can tell you. Master tries to hide it as best he can but in truth, he's been sick for a LONG time". She shook her head. "He thinks he can solve all of the world's problems on his own. Sometimes though, Damascus and I have to remind him that he's only human…" She paused again and shook her head some more. "That's part of the reason that we just went to the Land of the Dead. Even with our help, he's not invincible, for all that he thinks he is… and the trip was quite productive as it turned out".

"Why would you go there?" Temmy asked, taking a seat opposite Lamb. "Were you looking for a cure for Dad's illness?"

"No, we were looking for information on how to find the new Seraph. Now at least, we have something to work with; there's a goddess somewhere on Earth who can support her. We just need to find her".

"And what about the egg?"

"Well I've still got that" Lamb said, patting her chest. "I made the mistake of leaving it alone once; a mistake I have no intention of repeating". She paused and then stood. "Right, enough talk. You probably want to get settled in and I need to speak to your father. Oh and check the wardrobe. A friend has invited us to dinner and it would probably be best if you dressed the part. You can borrow anything of mine you need".

I'm not so sure that's a good idea" she said, glancing at Lamb's bust. "I'm not sure we're the same size".

"Oh hah, hah" the angel said. "Just pick something you like and ask Damascus to shrink it down to fit". With that, she turned to leave, but Temeraire called out to her again.

"Just one more thing; if I have your room, then where are you going to sleep?" Lamb blushed.

"I'm sleeping with Master, as I usually do".

"Eww" Temmy said, pulling a face.

"Not like that" Lamb said with an exasperated sigh. "Why is it that as soon as a man and a woman share a bed, people instantly assume that they're actually having sex? While I know that some gods and goddesses do habitually make love to their angels, it's generally frowned upon as another form of masturbation. While I sleep with your father, I don't _SLEEP_ with him. Besides, have you ever tried to snuggle with a twenty-foot wingspan… plus it makes sleeping on your back a real pain".

"So you just-"

"Share a bed… in fact, we don't usually do that. Usually, I sleep INSIDE him". There was a moment of silence.

"I have a lot to learn about angels" Temmy admitted.

"Well you did ask".

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"This is where you sleep" Jago said distastefully, opening the door to the spare room. It was tiny; barely big enough for the bed and the side table, with a built in wardrobe in one corner.

"I actually get to sleep on a bed?" Beregond asked. "I've never had anything that soft".

"Whatever" Jago said. "Now, bathroom is at the other end of the hall and the kitchen is downstairs. If you need anything else, just ask". He paused and scowled. "Now, you probably don't like me and I sure as Hell don't like you but there's no way for me to argue with Lind, so we are just going to have to put up with one another. Personally, I don't want you anywhere near my daughter and if it was left up to me, I would kill you without a second's thought. However, you are apparently my daughter's Apprentice, so I can't do that. As such, you can live under my roof and share my food, possibly even gain the redemption that is hoped for you. However, ANY funny business directed towards Temeraire, myself, Lamb, Damascus or ANYONE in this world, then I WILL kill you personally… by driving a nail into your skull with my bare hands. Got that boy?" Beregond nodded carefully and Jago grunted. "Good. Now, Temmy and I are going out tonight, at an invitation from a friend. Now Damascus isn't too keen on parties, so she's staying here to keep an eye on you. And she will have even less trouble killing you than I will. Understand?" The boy nodded again. "Good". With that, the Paladin turned away, leaving Beregond alone in the room.

"A right charmer, isn't he?" Bloody Thorn said, appearing from within her Master.

"You said it" Beregond admitted. "But… at least we've been given a chance".

"Are you seriously suggesting we can be reformed? I mean, we are supposed to be being trained under a known Valkyrie killer".

"Not a chance" he said. "In fact, I say that as soon as possible, we make a break for it and try and get to the Oracle. But for now, let's play the waiting game. There's no sense in getting ourselves killed just yet".

"My thoughts exactly" the dark-blonde angel said. "Now, what do we know about this Damascus character?"

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An hour later, Jago and Temeraire stepped out of the front door, dressed in their evening finery.

"Ok, we'll be back soon" Jago called out. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" With that, they pulled the door closed and turned towards the bridge. "I have to say, you have at least got good taste when it comes to clothes" he said, glancing at his daughter's robe.

"Don't look at me; Lamb let me borrow it". Jago felt Lamb give a smile from inside him and he chuckled. Temmy's dress was a full-length gown of cream coloured linen, with copper and gold trim that hugged her figure closely. It wasn't _quite_ Temeraire's style but she pulled it off pretty well.

"Well, either way, it suits you". And he had to admit, she looked better than he did; he'd gone for black trousers and a clean black shirt, over which he wore his battered leather jacket. Not exactly the height of fashion but at least he didn't look quite like a trap on a looting spree anymore.

"So where exactly are we going?" Temmy asked. "I'm assuming it's not particularly fancy".

"Jeiko has invited us around. I thought it would be prudent to accept as I may need to have to watch you, seeing as I need to be out of town in a few days".

"So… you accepted so you can make baby-sitting arrangements?"

"Pretty much" Jago admitted, without the slightest hint of guilt. "However, this new… whatever he is; he's going to be a problem. I'm not sure that Jeiko will like having to keep an eye on a Forgotten Army soldier, as well as his niece". Temeraire didn't answer., simply followed him across the bridge and prepared to head off, following the road into the forest. "Where do you think you're going?" Jago asked.

"I was-"

"We're not walking there ya numpty!" He turned shaking his head and made towards his ancient Unimog. "Come on; I'll drive".

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Damascus shook her head as she waved the truck out of sight. She still couldn't understand how Jago and Lamb could stand parties; they always made her feel claustrophobic and she had to be NICE to people, something that was still deeply against her nature. No, she would much rather stay at home. Now then… she'd better check on her charge. Moving silently upstairs, she moved to the spare room and knocked lightly on the door.

"Come in". She pushed the door open and peaked inside at Beregond. He had set up his bedsit… beside the bed, rolling back the carpet so that he could lay out his blanket and pillow, upon which he was currently lying, arms behind his head.

"You sleep on the floor?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I tried the bed. Turns out, I don't like sleeping on anything softer than wood". He rapped his knuckles on the bare, wooden floor for emphasis. "Anyway, was there anything you particularly wanted or did you just come to annoy me some more?"

"Well it's my job to make sure that you're ok while my Master and Temeraire are away. That means, unfortunately, that I have to check on you occasionally". Beregond scoffed.

"Why would you care? You're a devil… not just that but if my memory serves me right, you were also a Nightmare. And not just any Nightmare; you are THE Nightmare! Why the Hell would you care!?"

"Because, believe it or not and against my nature, it's my job to care". She folded her arms and glared at him. "As for you; you're a pain in the arse who's only been here about five minutes and while my Master would hate to admit it, part of my job is to find out some more about you. Now you either lie there on the floor all night or you can come with me, we order some pizza and then we have a chat, while I try and teach you how to pay HALO Twelve". Beregond was silent for a second and then he sighed.

"Alright" he said. "But first… what's pizza and what is HALO Twelve?"

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"Hello my friends!" Jeiko said with a mighty grin as he pulled the door open to admit Jago and Temeraire. "It's good to see you!"

"It's good to see you too!" Jago said, taking his friend's hand and clasping him on the back. "Sorry we're a little late. There was something on the road".

"What? An accident?"

"No; velociraptors. I swear, whoever keeps introducing dinosaurs to this island is an idiot!" Jeiko chuckled and turned his attention to Temeraire.

"It's good to see you too. I should be angry with you really, for getting Kitara exiled but in truth, I've been wanting to spend some time with her, so I guess I actually owe you my thanks". Temmy smiled nervously as they stepped through the door. "Well, dinner's not quite ready yet, so if you just want to make your way into the living room, the girls are waiting for-"

"Jeeeeiiiiikkkkoooo!" a voice called from upstairs. "Come on, I need your help! They're going to be here any minute!" The three of them turned see Peorth descending the stairs towards them, wearing nothing but a full set of shite lingerie, so thin that you could almost see through it. "I'm looking for my red skirt and it's not where I left it. You haven't seen it ha- OH DEAR GOD, THEY'RE HERE!" This last bit was in a shout, as she realised that both Temmy and Jago were staring up at her.

"Hi Peorth" Jago said cheerfully. Temmy meanwhile, didn't say anything, just tried not to stare TOO much, while going almost as red as Peorth herself.

"Um… hi?" the rose-goddess said and then slowly retreated back up the stairs and out of sight.

"I think I just saw more of Peorth than I ever thought I would" Temmy admitted.

"Does she often wonder around the house like that?" Jago asked Jeiko. "Or just when you're expecting guests?"

"No, not usually. Sometimes she wears less".

"Good to know". He paused, thinking for a second. "You realise, I haven't seen THAT much of Peorth since we were attacked by bugs".

"Hey, paws off! She's mine, remember!"

"Oh come on… I sure she wouldn't mind sharing".

"Only if Lind was long gone". They both snorted and clapped each other on the back. "Oh, that's why I like you Jago; you can get away with saying just about anything! Come on, I'll get you a drink!" With that, the pair turned away, heading for the drawing room, leaving Temeraire alone in the hall. Looks like she would have to find her own entertainment.

8888

Dinner was pleasant enough; roast chicken with all the trimmings. It was a pleasant enough affair, although Urd was unable to attend, what with having to go on a goddess refresher course, to be sure that she was once again a goddess or at the very least, still a hybrid. However, even with her absence, it was a good night; Jago and Temeraire, Jeiko and Peorth, Kitara, Isaz and Wynn, all together and enjoying themselves. Peorth played a wonderful hostess, having overcome the initial faux par and was busy regaling them with the stories of some of her more unusual contracts.

"Oh oui!" she said, dropping into her French accent, "But monsieur, if this is the cat, then where is the lobster!?" They all laughed and Jeiko wiped a tear from his eye.

"Where is the lobster?!" he said with a chuckle. "It gets me every time!" It was at that moment that they heard a wail coming from the other room and Peorth sighed.

"Call of the wild ones" she said with a soft smile, referring to the youngest of her and Jeiko's children; the twins Venus and Fortuna, both six months old. "If you would please excuse me" she said and she stood, hurrying from the room. There was a moment of silence and then Wynn spoke.

"Hey… err, Uncle Jago? How did you get the eye patch?"

"Wynn!" Jeiko said, appalled but Jago waved him down.

"It's alright; the girl's just curious". He turned to Wynn and shrugged. "I got captured by someone who didn't like me very much. They had a hot poker. I didn't. I'll leave the rest to your imagination". The girl shuddered and grinned while her sister leaned forward.

"Did it hurt?" Isaz asked.

"It was the second most painful thing I have ever experienced".

"What was the most painful?"

"My wife's cooking". They all chuckled at this until Temmy turned to Jago.

"Is Mum really that bad at cooking?"

"Oh yeah" he said, every trace of humour gone.

"But what about your hat?" Wynn asked. "What happened to it?"

"It was stolen. Same person who took my eye".

"Are you going to get a new one?"

"Probably not. I mean, I had that thing longer… well, longer than I've had Temeraire" he said, jerking his thumb at her. "It's not easy to replace something like that. Sure, it was rusty and the dye had run out of the brim but it was MY hat".

"Well, you could always try a new kind of hat" Kitara offered. "Perhaps a fez?"

"I would rather EAT a fez than wear it" Jago said.

"Now, now" Jeiko said. "We wouldn't want you eating your cloths. People might mistake you for a moth!" It was at that moment that they heard a loud knock at the front door and Jeiko stood with a sigh. "Now who could that be at this time of night?" he asked, heading out of the room. Jago waited until he was gone and then grinned.

"So, did I ever tell you about the time that I fought the giant piranha-eel? That was a doozy!"

"Oh no" Temeraire muttered. "Not the piranha-eel thing again!" Isaz and Wynn however gave wide-eyed looks, clearly never having heard this story before.

"What's a piranha-eel?" they asked but before Jago could answer, there was a shout from the hall.

"Jago! You're gonna want to this!"

"Looks like the story will have to wait" he said and drained his glass before standing and leaving for the hall, where he met Jeiko, who had the door open. There was someone on the step; literally ON the step, having apparently collapsed there… Someone they knew well. "My god!" Jago said. "Lind?" Lind raised her head, swaying a little, her hair sticking to her face and she gave a smile.

"Oh there you are Jago!" she said happily, her cheeks flushed with red. "I've been looking- looking everywherezzzzz for you!"

"Lind? Are you drunk?" he asked and Lind gave a crooked smile.

"Yep!" she said and she suddenly surged up, wrapping herself around Jago and knocking him to the floor. She sat on his stomach, swaying a little, grinning down at him in a foolish fashion, while he glanced at Jeiko for help. The Earth-spirit simply shrugged; Lind was Jago's problem, not his.

"You aren't just drunk" Jago said, as Lind's whisky scented breath washed over him, "you're plastered!" Lind giggled, nodding her head and she hugged Jago, giggling like a schoolgirl, as Temeraire emerged from the dining room.

"My god, is that Mum?" she said and Lind raised her head, smiling drunkenly.

"Oh hey Temmy! How'zzzz- how'zzz da new boyfriend?" Temmy looked totally confused and glanced at Jago who tried to shrug but failed as Lind wrapped herself around him once more.

"Wha-What are you doing here Lind?" he asked, trying to struggle out of his wife's crushing grip. "And why are you drunk? You don't drink!"

"Well I urr… I-I forget" Lind said, pausing to think. "Oh yeah. I lost my job! I'm not the Almighty One anymore! So I can get as drunk as I want and come down here and hug you as much as I want and nobody can say a damn thing about it!" She hugged him once more and Jago grunted as he tried to maintain the ability to breathe.

"What? How did that happen?" Temmy asked but her mother didn't answer, simply started to snore as Jago carefully extracted himself from her grip.

"I'm not sure" Jago said. "But I can guess. And we're going home RIGHT NOW. I need to speak to whoever is in charge of Heaven ASAP, cause I have the feeling this situation is about to go up shit creek".

**Authors Note: I am SO sorry it has taken so long to get such a short chapter together! It's been a hectic week; editing, rereading and printing Archfall so I can send a copy to my family and at the same time, I have university stuff (which is killer, especially on Mondays, when I have SIX HOURS of lectures, plus extras AND work!) and I also learned that TWO of the deviantart groups I follow (the Lind and Peorth groups) are being closed down, so I took it upon myself to create a new combined group for the pair, plus the other minor characters (anyone who can't generate enough art to support their own group). Plus, I kinda finished most of what I wanted to say in this chapter in the first two-thousand words so it was hard to get anything from there… but the next chapter should be better, plus next week should be less hectic. Speak soon and stay safe! **


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 13**

**The New Regime**

"My fellow gods and goddesses, I welcome you!" Osiris boomed, beaming down on the assembled deities. "As you all by now know, yesterday, that fool of Valkyrie, Lady Lind, was removed from her seat as Almighty One, for her incompetence and failure of duties! Now, after much deliberation, we have selected a new Almighty One, for the temporary task of ruling Heaven; myself! And now listen as I tell you of what we shall do…" Valmeyar turned away in disgust from her box, followed closely by Kayrune and Vayrag, Captains of the third and fifth Valkyrie cohorts respectively.

"It's a fucking disgrace!" Valmeyar hissed as the trio headed along the corridor. "He waits until half the Valkyries are unavailable, due to clean-up operations in Jötunheim and THEN he calls a fucking Parliament! It's fucking insulting!" The eighth cohort commander stamped her foot and grunted.

"So now what's going to happen to us?" Vayrag asked.

"And more importantly, where's Lind?" Kayrune said. "Nobody's seen her since yesterday".

"Lind's fine" Vayrag said. "She went to see Jago".

"But isn't that-" Vayrag was about to say but stopped herself. Lind wasn't the Almighty One anymore but she was still the Captain of the elite first cohort, which allowed her unlimited access to Earth, as and when she needed it. All Valkyries above the rank of Sargent had that same privilege and as both were loyal supporters of Lind, having both served under her in the first cohort and as such, they could hardly fault her for wanting some time alone.

"As to your other question; you know very well what's going to happen to us" Valmeyar said with a sigh. "It seems likely that the Valkyries will be disbanded and we're to be replaced by golems… the Urabi".

"So what do you suggest that we do?" Kayrune asked. "I mean, if we're no longer needed…"

"We do what we can" Valmeyar said. "Osiris has a tenuous hold and from what I remember, his policies towards humans… well, they leave a lot to be desired. It seems likely that he will be forced out soon… all we have to do is hold on until then. And maybe fix anything he breaks".

"So… we do what we can for those we can help, until we're needed again".

"Pretty much".

_"Well they're not firing me!" Kayrune said testily. "If I go, I go willingly, as I'm sure most of our_ comrades would agree".

"I agree" said Valmeyar. "I say we gather the other Captains as soon as possible and we have a talk… and we pray that there are ten-thousand open positions in the Guardian Corp".

8888

Peorth sighed as carefully slotted a round into her pistol's spare magazine, while casually watching the comings and goings of the admins below her, from her desk. Last night had been fouled up, big style. Lind's unexpected arrival and the announcement of her loss of power had sent everyone scurrying home as fast as they could go. Even Jeiko, who had barely had time to kiss her goodbye, was forced to leave to speak with the new Almighty One. Osiris. She couldn't believe that man… but then again, she could. He had always been a sly one, after all. And now, he was the Almighty One. She hoped that Lind wasn't taking it too hard… Peorth's attention was suddenly grabbed by the sound of the main doors to the Yggdrasil control room sliding open and she turned to see Bast, the cat-masked goddess from Osiris's inner circle, approaching her.

"Good morning Miss Peorth" she said with a voice that could have equally have been either friendly or a sneer.

"_Lady_ Peorth, IF you don't mind" the rose-goddess snapped, picking up the now filled magazine and balancing it in her palm.

"Oh yes, _Lady_ Peorth" the cat-god sneered and this time it was definitely a sneer. "I am so sorry _Lady_ Peorth. I didn't mean to offend you my _Lady". _Peorth glared but bit back a sharp retort.

"What do you want?" she demanded. "Have you come to gloat over Lind's forced retirement?"

"Actually, I've come to gloat over YOUR forced retirement" Bast said, suddenly appearing bored and pretending to inspect her nails while Peorth simply sat, confused.

"What?" she said dumbly, after a few seconds.

"You are amazingly slow" Bast scoffed scornfully. "I mean, you have been replaced as goddess Aggregate, Principle Representative, on the orders of High Lord Osiris, the Almighty One, to be replaced by myself". She grinned. "Lady Peorth, I hereby relieve you of duty!"

"Like Hell you do!" Peorth leapt from her seat, rapidly drawing one of her ornately decorated pistols and in a single, fluid movement, she snapped the magazine into place, cocked it, flicked off the safety and placed the gun against the other goddess's forehead. "You think I don't see what you are trying to do? You and Osiris both know that as soon as the Valkyries hear of this and how Osiris took a major vote without them included, they will most likely mutiny and turn against you, so you're trying to get rid of anyone who would support Lind, so that she can't be voted back in!"

"Maybe you aren't as dumb as you look" Bast said calmly, despite the heavy pistol being pressed against her forehead. "But as to the Valkyries, they have already been taken care of". With that, the doors swung open once more but this time, it was no goddess who entered. This was a man. A man made of stone; an ornately carved statue of gold, ivory, lapis lazuli that towered above the pair of them. The face of the living statue was set in the snarling face of a hideous jackal, its lips drawn back to reveal its long fangs, while it moved upright on long, powerful legs, a short tail hanging from between them. The statue closed the distance between them with surprising speed and as it approached, it suddenly conjured up a weapon; a mighty, double blade, consisting of two swords, welded together at the hilt. And the statue stopped, aiming its mighty weapon at Peorth's chest, making her gulp in fear. Her pistol was a .50 calibre Desert Eagle but she could instinctively tell that any attempt to shoot this thing would just piss it off even more. "I would like you to meet the future of Heaven's military; the Urabi" Bast said. "The incorruptible golem".

"They won't stand for this!" Peorth said, finally finding her tongue. "The Valkyries I mean! You know that golems are outlawed in every realm in existence and when the Valkyries find out about this, they'll-"

"They'll what?" Bast said. "Stupid girl, haven't you heard? The Valkyries have all been banished!" And the cat-faced goddess grinned once more. "Now, if you would excuse me, that is MY seat!"

8888

Lind groaned and slowly rolled over, rubbing her forehead with her hand.

"My god! What on Earth did I drink last night? My head feels like there's a Frenchmen living in it!"

"I'm not sure but it was a lot". She rolled over to see Jago emerge from the bathroom, drying his face with a towel. "Enough at least that we had to carry you to and from the car".

"We?" She paused, trying to remember what happened the previous evening. "I'm sorry, my head is still… I remember… I lost my job as the Almighty One and I started drinking. What happened after that?"

"You… turned up outside Jeiko's house in a stupor and announced that you you'd been voted out of office. And then you passed out, so Temmy and I had to bring you home". Home. Now she realised where she was. She was in Jago's house.

"I made a complete arse of myself, didn't I?"

"I think that under the circumstances, you can be forgiven. Now, I suggest that you sleep it off while you have the chance. I've gotta be up and about so try and ignore the noise as much as possible. I've got to get Temmy and her friend up".

"Well whatever" Lind said, rolling over and almost instantly dropping back off to sleep.

"_Damn, she had a lot_" Lamb said from inside. "_She doesn't even care where she is!_" It was a fair comment. After Lind had shown up at Jeiko's house, Jago and Temeraire had brought her home and bundled her into bed. The Valkyrie was so out of it that after Temmy and Beregond had been hastened to bed, that Jago hadn't even bothered to try and get her out of her clothes; simply tugged off her boots, before sliding in beside her. Jago was dismayed; he had never seen her in such a state before. He had thought that she hated her time as the Almighty One but the loss of the position had clearly affected her deeply. That however, would be a conversation for a later date. Right now, they had other things to worry about. It was six in the morning; time to get rocking and rolling.

"Do you want me to get the boy?" Damascus asked as the door to the main bedroom was pulled too and the two Archs silently materialised.

"I think that would be best. Lamb and I will get Temmy".

8888

Beregond grunted softly in his sleep, ignoring the thing that was prodding him in the back.

"Come on you lazy bastard, get up" Damascus said with a sigh of exasperation. "It's time to get going". The boy simply grunted again and the devil snarled, pulling back the sheets. "Get up! Come on!" Still nothing. With a reluctant sigh, Damascus disappeared from the room, only to return with a mug glass of water, which she preceded to pour over him.

"AHH!" Beregond shot up, ramrod straight in surprise but before Damascus could respond, he had tackled her, bearing her to the ground and pinning her there, a knife pressed against her chin. "You?" he demanded. "What did you just do?"

"Get off me you oath!" she hissed, baring her fangs. "I was told to wake you up, so I poured a glass of water over you!" Beregond glared but slowly backed off as Damascus slowly raised herself to her feet, massaging her throat where the knife had been pressed… and with a sudden and violent move, she punched him in the stomach. Normally, this wouldn't have mattered much. Damascus may have been almost as tall as Lamb but she was much weaker physically and even with her claws, she would struggle to hurt anyone in single combat. However, in this case, she sent a Concussive Blast into the man's stomach, sending him flying backward, to impact with the wall, in a shower of plaster dust. "NOW DON'T YOU EVER PULL A KNIFE ON ME AGAIN!" she snarled as he started to recover. "BECAUSE IF YOU DO, I WILL KILL YOU BEFORE YOU CAN BLINK!" She turned away as he started to climb back to his feet, gasping in pain. "Now get dressed; you've got work to do". Just before she left the room however, she paused, glancing back at him over her shoulder at his shorts. "Oh and one more thing; I am an open minded girl in many respects. Heck, my partner of choice is a woman for crying out loud… an angel to be specific. HOWEVER, if I EVER catch you pitching a tent in my direction again, I'll slice it off and serve it to you for breakfast. You got that boy?" Beregond muttered something. "What was that?"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Good". With that, Damascus departed, leaving Beregond alone to get dressed.

"Evil old _hobgoblin"_ he muttered.

"I head that!"

8888

"Do we really have to be up so early?" Temeraire complained as she and Lamb stepped out into the cold morning sun of Avalon, where the other three were waiting. "I mean come on! The sun's barely up yet!"

"Well you have to begin your training" Jago said. "Now, that's none of my business as it's YOU who has to train HIM" and he jerked a thumb at Beregond. "And I'm not leaving him in the house unsupervised while I'm out for the morning run. So, I thought you could incorporate this into your routine; a morning run before breakfast". Temeraire grimaced but she knew better that to complain as they started to warm up via stretches. "Now there are a few things you should know about running on this island; you should stick to the paths as much as possible, because if you get lost, it's a bugger to find anyone in these woods. Secondly, you go at your own pace. I don't care how long it takes you or how far you go, although we three", he gestured to himself and the Archs, "are going all the way around the island".

"And thirdly" Lamb said, finishing her stretches and snapping her fingers to change into a sports kit of jogging bottoms, tank-top and trainers. "When you see it and it starts to chase you, you don't have to run faster than it does. You just need to faster than the next slowest person".

"It?" Beregond asked. "What's "it"?"

"You'll know it when you see it" Damascus said, also snapping her fingers to also change her cloths. "If you're not back at the house in two hours, you won't get any breakfast. If you're not back in three, we'll assume you've been eaten". With that, they set off, followed by Jago who seemed determined to do the run in his usual cloths, leaving the other two utterly confused.

"So… should we go?" Temeraire asked.

"You're supposed to be in charge" Beregond said. "It's up to you to train me… if you think you can manage it that is". He sneered at her and Temeraire scowled.

"Fine then… I'll set the pace. Try and keep up!"

8888

"Is that seriously all you have?" Beregond said snidely as Temeraire paused and leaned against a stump. "I thought YOU were supposed to be setting the pace!"

"I'm just catching my breath" she snarled through grated teeth, to which Beregond just smirked.

"Really? Well not much of a runner now, are you? Back in Jötunheim, I used to run fifty miles a day, through snow and up and down mountains! It's how I stayed trim. But look at you; we've hardly gone any distance at all and you're already exhausted!" Temeraire bit back a retort, knowing it was no good. Beregond was just trying to get her goat. But there was ONE thing which she couldn't resist…

"To be honest, I never really needed to be a runner. I always WON my fights, rather than tried to run from them!" Beregond looked as if he were about to retort but it was just then that he felt a tiny tremor through the soles of his boots. He paused and then he felt it again… and again. And they were getting stronger.

"Please tell me you didn't feel that" he said but Temeraire nodded.

"No, I felt them. They were… impact tremors. Something big is coming". And so it was. The tremors continued to increase in strength, becoming more and more frequent, to the point where they were just about audible. "Do you think it's the "it" they mentioned?"

"That is a strong possibility… How big would something have to be to cause a tremor like that?"

"At least five tons" Temmy said as another tremor rocked the ground beneath their feet.

"I didn't know there were any animals on this planet that could weigh that much. Apart from whales and elephants of course".

"Well judging from what I've seen of this island's biology, it could be just about ANYTHIN! I mean, it could even be a- AH!" Something slapped wetly against her scalp and she gingerly put her hand up to touch a warm, sticky substance that was coating her hair. She pull a small sample off and sniffed it cautiously. "EWW! It smells like rancid meat!" Then she glanced at Beregond, whose face was a mask of terror. "What?" Then she twigged. And she looked up.

8888

Jago and the Archs chuckled as they heard the distant screams but kept on running, unconcerned by the sound.

"I think they met it" Damascus said. "Now, which of them is going to be eaten?"

"Good question" Jago said. "Lamb? Any thoughts?"

"My vote is Beregond. I don't like him. There's something… off about him. He reminds me too much of somebody I used to know".

"_You and me both… but you don't know the half of it"_ Damascus thought privately, not wanting the others to hear her. Out loud though, she said "That's not exactly fair Lamb. Just because you don't like him, doesn't mean he should be eaten".

"Oh, I suppose you'd rather have Temeraire eaten?"

"No… but I think that it's more likely that she will be. That thing is fast and I'm not sure she can outrun it for long".

"Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see" Jago said as the screams came again. "They must be having the time of their lives!"

8888

Both Temmy and Beregond were utterly exhausted when they finally made it back to Buggerup. They were tired, hot, breathless and covered in mud from their escape. But they had survived. Needless to say, Jago was indecently cheerful about if all, sitting atop the woodpile behind the house, smoking happily away, in the lee of the house.

"Oh, so you both made it!" he called out, with a huge grin. "Looks like he's gonna have to go without breakfast today".

"What… on Earth… was that thing!?" Temeraire demanded from between gasps, shuddering as she remembered the horrifying beast; forty-five feet of snapping, snarling, roaring death on two legs, which had pursued them all over the island, before they had managed to lose it in an impenetrable swamp, diving into the thick mud to cover their scent and mask it from the predator".

"That would be a carcharodontosaurus" Jago said. "A large, predatory dinosaur from Africa. I could have gone for a t-rex but that thing was bigger so I thought it would be more interesting".

"What on Earth… is a monster like that… doing on this island?" Beregond demanded, his knees shaking from the strain of the morning's exertion.

"Well, I met it while I was on a mission in the Congo, where they called it the Kasai Rex. It was attacking villages and so, I thought it would be best to move it somewhere where I could keep an eye on it".

"SO YOU BROUGHT IT HERE!?"

"Yes. I warned everybody that I was introducing it before I brought it here and as there's only one of them and I'm the only one who ever goes into that part of the island, I thought it would be fairly safe. In fact, I wasn't even sure it would chase you, rather than me, as it always does".

"HOW CAN YOU BE SO CHEERFUL ABOUT ALL THIS!?" Temeraire demanded. "THAT THING ALMOST ATE US!"

"And it's gonna try again tomorrow" Jago said, stubbing out the cigarette. "So get used to it. Once you figure out how it hunts, it's a pretty easy thing to escape from. The trick is not to run in straight lines, especially in open ground. It'll be on you in seconds. No, the only way to outrun that thing is to out-turn it…" He chuckled and flicked away the cigarette. "Now, before breakfast, you two need a wash". He jerked his thumb around the side of the house. "There's a waterbutt around the side of the house and I've left you some cloths and clean towels by it. Get scrubbed up and then we can have breakfast". The pair nodded but then paused, thinking.

"Wait a minute… you want us to have a bath? TOGETHER!?" Both Temmy and Beregond shared a horrified look before turning back to him

"Don't be stupid" Jago said, rolling his eyes. "You'll never both fit in it. You take it in turns".

"But why can't we have a wash INSIDE?" Temmy asked.

"Because you'll tread mud all though the house. And I'm NOT spending all day getting mud out of the rug!" He grinned evilly. "Besides, I don't like one of you and the other one is here as a punishment, so it's my job to make life as unpleasant as possible for the pair of you, so get used to it. Now go one; off you pop! I gotta get breakfast ready!" With that, Jago stood and headed around the far corner of the house, leaving the pair to contemplate their fate.

"Let's just get this over with" Temeraire said reluctantly and lead the way around to the far end of the house. There, as promised, were two piles of cloths, a set of fresh towels… and the dreaded waterbutt.

"So… how are we going to do this?" Beregond asked, blushing.

"We could flip a coin for it" Temeraire suggested and reached into the pocket of her mud stained uniform, pulling out a shiny dollar-pound coin.

"Sounds fa- wait a minute… you're not going to cheat and do that thing where you flick it a certain distance so you can control which side it lands on?"

"You can do that?"

"I knew a guy the Forgotten Army who used to do it all the time; he used it to get out of guard duties".

"Sneaky" Temeraire said. "But no, I'm not planning to do something like that".

"I don't believe you" Beregond said, folding his arms. "Swear on it".

"What?"

"Swear, on your honour as a goddess, that you won't interfere with that coin, when you flip it!"

"Why?"

"Just do it!"

"Alright, alright! I swear on my honour as a goddess, that I won't tamper, rig, interfere with of otherwise create any form of bias when I flip the coin. Happy?!" Beregond nodded and with that, Temeraire flipped the coin. "Call it!"

"Tails". Temeraire nodded and caught the coin, flipped it and slapped it on her wrist. It came up tails.

"Fuck" she swore. "Alright, I'll go first, so turn around" she said, starting to unbutton the front of her tunic. "And if you DARE peek, I'll SLAP you from here to the moon!"

"Alright, geez!" Beregond said, turning away. "Bloody Hell; this must be my day for being threatened with violence!"

"Well what do you expect?" Temeraire asked, pulling off her shirt and tossing it aside. "You're not exactly welcome here".

"I had realised that" he said darkly. "But it's not exactly like I have much choice in the matter, either. So either we both put up with it or we're never going to get anywhere".

"The first sensible thing you've said since I met you!" Temeraire said and then Beregond heard a splash and a squeal. "OHHHH! Good Lord, that's col-DON'T YOU DARE TURN AROUND!" Beregond hurriedly looked away once more, as the sound of splashing continued. "Oh, it's good to get shit out of my hair!" Temeraire said softly to herself, running her fingers through her cropped locks, rinsing the dinosaur spit from it.

"How's the water?"

"Bloody freezing!"

"Well at least it should help to perk you up… but hopefully not too much!" Beregond said with a chuckle. He got a boot in the back of his head for his troubles.

8888

Five minutes later, the pair emerged from behind the house, scrubbed and cleaned in their new cloths. Temeraire was in a clean set of Valkyrie leathers, while Beregond had been lent an old but serviceable god's robe in grey and bottle green, with gold edging and a thick oil-cloth cloak.

"I'm not sure about this" he said, plucking at it. "I prefer something with more… metal and leather to it".

"Look, until you're reaccepted, you're not allowed to wear armour and my dad isn't exactly a fashion master, ok? You'll just have to live with it for now". Beregond scowled at her but then paused as they rounded the final corner and came upon Jago who was standing, staring at the back door of the house. "Dad?" Temmy asked.

"Hey" the big man said, not turning around. "I've got a question; did I or did I not leave the back door open when we went out?"

"What?"

"Just answer the question".

"No you didn't" Beregond said. "Why?"

"Because, I haven't been inside yet…" Jago said, reaching inside his jacket and pulling his enormous revolver free of its holster, "and the door IS open". Instantly, Temeraire was on the alert; dropping into a fighter's pose.

"Could it be Mum?" she asked.

"Not likely" Jago said, snapping the gun open, checking the chamber and snapping it shut again. "She would have called me". He paused and nodded at Beregond. "Keep an eye on him. I'm going in". With that, he started forward, carefully pushing the back door to the kitchen open and heading stealthily inside.

"This isn't anything to do with you, is it?" she asked critically but Beregond shook his head in derision.

"Don't be a fool! Do you really think I'd be so stupid as to try anything here? Besides" and he tapped his chest, right over his heart, "Bloody Thorn is right here". Temeraire didn't say anything, simply turning her attention back to the house. It was then that they heard a scuffle, followed by a deep thump and a yelp from Jago.

"DAD!" Temmy shouted and shot forward, bursting through the back door and into the kitchen. Jago had a woman pinned to the floor with his boot, his huge revolver pointed at her head.

"I WILL BLOW THAT UGLY RIGHT OFF YOUR-" he bellowed but then stopped. "Valmeyar?" he asked cautiously.

"Well that's one way to greet your mother-in-law" she said, frowning up at him.

"Dude, I could have killed you!" Jago said, lifting his boot off of her and stooping to help her up. "And why'd you bite me?"

"YOU attacked ME!" Valmeyar snapped. "I was trying to defend myself!"

"Well whatever" he said as Valmeyar stood and dusted herself off before spotting Temeraire who was standing in the doorway.

"Hi Temmy" she said, nodding to her granddaughter. "I see you survived your first run in with the second most dangerous animal on this island".

"Second most dangerous?" Temeraire said, staring at her grandmother in shock. She had never seen Valmeyar dressed like this; a pale orange dress and a brown bomber jacket, lined with wool, accompanied with a pair of thick calf-skin boots. It was little wonder Jago hadn't recognised her.

"You haven't met the honey badgers yet" Jago muttered and then turned back to the old goddess, as Beregond slowly made his way into the kitchen. "So, you wanna tell me what you're doing in my kitchen?"

"She's with us". They all turned to see a group of goddesses emerge from the living room, all in human clothing; the Valkyrie Captains. They were all of them there. And through the crowd, came arguably the most important of them all.

"I'm sorry I didn't call you" Lind said, pushing through the press, her white combat leathers standing out amongst the jeans, shirts and skirts. "But you see, they needed to see me before they could speak to you".

"You sober?" Jago asked and Lind snorted.

"Hung-over" she admitted. "But right now, we need to talk".

"This wouldn't happen to be about you being made redundant, would it?" Jago asked.

"Worse" said another voice and two more goddesses pushed through the crowd. One was in her official purple and yellow gown, while the other her latex and leather ensemble, plus the Guns and Roses t-shirt; Urd and Peorth. "It would appear that Osiris is doing all kinds of nasty things so that he can consolidate his position. We need-" Jago held up his hand.

"Is this conversation going to take longer than a few minutes?"

"Yes. It could take all morning" Peorth said.

"Right… Temmy; you take your friend and keep yourself occupied. I'll give you a shout if you're needed".

"But shouldn't I be here to hear this? I mean-"

"NOW Temmy" Jago said with great finality. His daughter sighed and turned away, heading off to find Beregond. "Right; now that's sorted, would anybody mind if I stick the kettle on before we start? I'm parched and running from giant predators isn't much fun without tea".

8888

"So what was all the fuss about?" Beregond asked as Temeraire reappeared from the house.

"It appears that the Valkyries have come to ask my dad for a favour… but apparently I don't warrant an invitation to their discussion". Beregond snorted and shook his head.

"So now what do we do?"

"Well my dad said to start training. Apparently they'll shout if we're needed".

"Whatever happened to breakfast?"

"I think breakfast has been cancelled for today" Temmy said glumly. "In any case, we can't stand around here all day. I supposed to be training you and that's what I'll do. Now then" and she struck a fighter's pose, "show me what you've got". Beregond snorted.

"You can't be serious".

"I'm dead serious. Why would I joke? I need an honest appraisal of your strength and the best way to do that is to fight you. So come on! Or are you too afraid to fight a girl?" Beregond shrugged.

"Alright. But don't say I didn't warn you". And he leapt.

8888

"Ok, I'm guessing that this has something to do with the fact that Lind is no longer the Almighty One" Jago said, glancing at Lind who nodded. "However, I'm guessing that the ten most powerful Valkyries plus two wouldn't have come to see me just for this. So, would someone please like to explain what exactly the problem is?" He took a sip of tea. "And please, use small words wherever possible. While I hate to admit it, I'm feeling a little fragile this morning, a feeling which I'm sure Lind shares". The assembled soldiers nodded, while Lind gave him a glance before Vayrag stepped forward.

"I think I'll explain" she said. "As you probably know, approximately eighteen hours ago, Osiris called another emergency sitting of Heaven's Parliament. His timing couldn't have been worse for us, as half the Valkyries were still involved on clean-up duties in Jötunheim. As such, when the Parliament was called and Osiris demanded a vote of no confidence and as you may have guessed, with half of us away, we had no hope of outvoting the Osiruns". The short, red-headed Valkyrie shook her head in dismay. "As you might say; we were royally buggered".

"Wait a minute… on what grounds did Osiris call for this vote?"

"Negligence of duty" Valmeyar said. The old Valkyrie shook her own head in dismay. "He claimed that by leaving Heaven and taking ALL of the Valkyries with her, Lind left Heaven defenceless and completely open to attack".

"But that's-"

"A load of bullshit, yes!" one of the other Captains, a strapping woman of nearly seven feet tall, with huge, bulging muscles, a heavily scarred face and short blond hair, known as Hlin, said. "We all know that the war with the demons has gone cold over the last thirty years. This isn't a complaint by the way; it's an observation. And even the Jötunns have been quiet recently. Besides, Heaven was never truly defenceless; with the Auxiliaries called up and with your brother's human forces in position, even a full attack by the demons would have been hard pressed to breach our defences".

"However, Osiris claimed not to see it this way" said Kayrune, pulling a long clay pipe from the inside of her jacket; something which earned her a few stares. "What? Can't a Valkyrie smoke?" she asked, snapping her fingers to light up and taking a pull at it before continuing. "Somehow, he managed to twist all the facts around and he basically managed to make people think that Heaven was completely defenceless while we were away. With that as ammunition, he managed to bring around enough goddesses to outvote us and… well, the rest is history". She took another long pull on her pipe and after a few seconds, she released a perfect smoke ring, which slowly began to drift up towards the ceiling. "However, that's just the tip of the iceberg" she said after a minute. "In fact, the next bit is why we came here in the first place".

"Next bit?" Jago asked reluctantly. "What next bit?"

"I believe they are referring to their decision to resign" Urd said.

"She's quite correct" Valmeyar admitted. "You see, following that vote and the subsequent return of the rest of the Valkyries, we Captains held a vote… minus Lind who was unavailable at the time. However, it wouldn't have mattered if she had voted, as we all voted yes to my proposal; the entire Valkyrie core resigned from duty. And before you ask, not it's not because we WANTED a Valkyrie in power. It's the fact that she was one of our own and was relieved of duty without being given a fair chance to defend herself".

"However, it would appear that Osiris was expecting this" Kayrune said bitterly.

"I did warn you" Lind said. "Before I left, did I not say that there was a good chance he would respond like he did? But did you listen? No you did not".

"Ok, ok, you don't have to rub it in!" Valmeyar said bitterly and then she glanced at Jago. "I can see where YOUR daughter gets it! She gets it from her damn mother!"

"And where does she get it from?"

"He father, more's the pity".

"Anyway" Kayrune said. "Osiris declared all Valkyries traitors for, as he said, abandoning Heaven and as such, he's banished us all. All ten-thousand Valkyries. We're now homeless and have until this time tomorrow to be gone from Heaven or he'll remove us by force".

"Not only that" interjected Peorth, "but he has begun a campaign to fully secure his position in Heaven, by replacing the higher ranking goddesses, with those who are loyal to him. I myself have been demoted from goddess Aggregate Principle Representative to that of an ordinary system admin and wish-granter".

"Well surely this is causing an uproar" Jago said. "At the rate he's going, won't it lead to some kind of rebellion?"

"There would be" Urd admitted, "if not for the Urabi".

"The Urabi?"

"The latest generation of combat golems" Lind said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "They aren't as tough as Juggernaut or his ilk were but it's claimed that they are completely unhackable. They have completely replaced the Valkyries as the main fighting force of Heaven… and they are likely to turn against any force that seeks to remove him from power; even other Valkyries. As such, I warned your brother to stand down the Auxiliaries for the time being, although he wasn't happy about it".

"I doubt he was" Jago admitted and then paused. "I thought we had banned the use of golems, due to their nature of being hacked and turning against their owners?"

"As Lind said; they're unhackable" Hlin said. "They answer only to the Almighty One, whoever that may be".

"I see" Jago said. "But now, I need to know; why would you come here? I don't see what I can do to help, so you will have to explain to me exactly what you want me to do".

"That… is a tricky question" one of the Captains said. "But to put it simply, we need your help. We need you to use you influence in the High Council to try and have Osiris removed, before he starts a war. Or, if that isn't an option, then we seek your assistance on the behalf of the Valkyries. We need your support, at least until the end of this crisis and we are willing to offer our services to you, it whatever way you may consider. However, I believe most of us were hoping that you might find space for us in your Guardian Corp, so that we can retain our skills until we are required again".

"I see" Jago said again and he sat for a long while, thinking carefully. The minutes ticked by. Tension built and dissipated. Finally Jago spoke again; "I have reached my decision. You have asked for my help and here is my answer: no. I cannot and will not help you".

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Temeraire grunted as Beregond's heavy falchion struck the haft of her halberd, forcing her back about a foot via sheer brute force. She roared and heaved him back, ducking under the heavy blade of his sword and swinging her axe up and around, aiming for his chest. He parried and swung his single-edged sword, one-handed at her head. Temmy raised one hand and used her uniform's brass knuckles to stop the sword dead, while thrusting her halberd forward with her other. The vicious top-spike pierced Beregond's shirt, tearing a long, thin gash across his skin, staining his front with a blossom of bright blood. The young god didn't so much as blink however, gasping the haft of Temeraire's halberd and brought his sword down hard on the haft, intending to cut the weapon in half with a single strike. Instead however, the heavy blade juddered to a halt against the hard wood and Beregond withdrew it in shock.

"What? This is an Ever-sharp blade!" he exclaimed, indicating the faint blue edge of the falchion. "It can cut through anything!"

"Not this!" Temeraire said, raising her halberd and indicating the haft. For the briefest second, strange symbols flashed across its surface; runes, similar but strangely distinct to those of Heaven or Hell. "Dwarf runes" she said by way of explanation. "My first Halberd was destroyed in Copenhagen, so my father remade it so that it could never be broken again. There was a dwarf master-smith he knew called Grimnore and he gave him some information on how to craft an indestructible weapon". Then Temmy grinned. "Then Aunt Skuld got her hands on it and now it can do THIS!" She twisted her wrist and fired off the sonic pulse, blasting Beregond from his feet and sending him spinning across the field. He landed on one hand, flipped himself and slid backward on his feet, his arms in front of his face for protection and balance.

"Now THAT was sneaky!" he snarled, flashing her an evil look.

"You should be ready for anything, at any time" Temeraire retorted. "It was my grandmother who taught me that one".

"Well how about this?" Beregond suddenly blurred and shot forward, almost too fast to see. Temeraire moved to dodge but even so, she felt the sting of a pair of blades cutting through her skin, one on her cheek and one just below her breasts and leaving red trails as they went. She wasn't through though and used her momentum to spin around completely and kicked Beregond in the back, knocking him from his feet, ending his dash and forcing him to roll back to his feet. He turned, falchion in one hand and falx in the other, just in time to see Temeraire swipe a thumb across the tiny gash on her cheek, healing it but leaving a tiny smear of blood across her thumb. She looked at it for a second, licked it and spat.

"Not bad… with some slat, a few herbs and maybe some ketchup, I might be palatable". With that, she drew her other hand across her chest, sealing the other wound before turning to glare at Beregond. "Oi! Eyes are up here!" she snapped, as he hand been watching her hand as she had been healing her chest. "As for that move; THAT was sneaky!"

"Why thank you!" he said with a grin.

"How did you do that? It looked like you boosted but you don't have any boosters on that suit".

"Oh, I don't have any boosters, but my angel does!" With that, Bloody Thorn appeared, grinning wolfishly at Temeraire and shrugged aside one of the mail sleeves of her outer armour, to reveal the suede underlay. There, Temeraire could clearly make out the distinctive black streaks of a full set of boosters; three of them. This would likely mean that this boy was in possession of a full set of six, putting his boosting capabilities on a par with a Valkyrie Captain; astonishing for one who appeared no older than Temeraire herself.

"Now that's quite a trick" the goddess admitted. "But now, it's MY turn!" With that, she swiped a thumb across her own booster, shooting forward in a blur of motion, discarding her halberd as she went. She struck Beregond full in the stomach, bending him over and then kneed him in the nose before spinning and roundhouse-kicking him in the back of the head , stepping aside as he staggered forward and grasping Bloody Thorn by the hair. The angel shrieked in pain as she was pulled away from her Master; not disconnected but simply detached, leaving them both able to function without a problem. Temeraire then slammed the angel into the ground and punched her hard in the face but Bloody Thorn retaliated, reaching up with both legs and grasping Temeraire around the middle, flipping her over the angel's body and body-slamming her into the ground. By this point, Beregond had recovered and he stood, glaring, his blades in hand as both Temeraire and Bloody Thorn scrambled back to their feet. Temmy was now between the pair of them and glanced from one to the other, grinning. "You think you got the drop on me, do you?" she asked.

"Well yeah" Bloody Thorn said. "You're now outnumbered and you've lost your weapon. Temmy sniggered.

"Don't you know anything? I'm so powerful, that my halberd isn't really a weapon; it's a LIMITER". Beregond grunted in disgust.

"Oh, you're one of THOSE, are you?" he said.

"One of what's?"

"One of those goddesses who are so cocky because they're stronger without their weapons! It's damn stupid!"

"Hey! I wasn't always like this! Three years ago, I was stronger WITH the axe. But now, I've gotten to the point that I have to have my power sealed with that big thing. But I still use this…" With that, she drew her khukuri, spinning it around her hand and then lowering herself, gripping the big knife in both hands. "I'm like my dad; I like to get close and personal when I kill things".

"I thought Jago liked guns".

"They're mostly just for show".

"Whatever" Bloody Thorn said.

"And now, it's time to make this fight INTERESTING" Beregond said. And he dropped both his falchion and his falx, leaving him completely unarmed. "You see, I'm stronger without ANY weapons!" And he started his next attack, by hurling a Plasma Bolt.

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There was a LONG silence after Jago made his announcement. It seemed to go for ever… and then the room exploded with angry voices, all demanding to know why he wouldn't help them; how he was their friend, how he owed them a debt of honour, things like that. Jago pretty much gave up trying to answer them within the first thirty seconds and simply sat, letting the wave of noise wash over him. Lind however, was getting annoyed. She alone, amongst the goddesses, had remained silent following Jago's declaration, simply cross her boots and folding her arms across her chest. However, the noise was starting to get to her. A vein bulged in her forehead and an eyelid twitched and just before she exploded, Jago had the sense to put his hands over his ears, to muffle the sound of her shout.

"SHUT IT!" Lind bellowed, so loud that the windows threatened to shatter and nearly deafening all those present. She waited until her shout had finally stopped echoing before speaking in a much quieter voice. "Now, I'm sure there is a reason that Jago won't help us". She paused and gave him a withering look. "For his sake anyway. As such, I think it is only proper that we should hear him out before we start fighting. Now Jago, if you would please explain". Jago nodded and then took a second to finish his tea, setting the mug down heavily and clearing his throat but before he could begin, there was a cry.

"You brought the twins with you?" he said to Peorth, who shrugged.

"Well I couldn't exactly leave them at home alone" she said, disappearing form the room, while Jago began his explanation.

"It's not that I don't want to help you; I really do. I mean, I've known most of you for the better part of thirty years and I count you all as friends. However, as the Paladin, I have to take various things into consideration, when it comes to finding you employment within my Guardian Corp. Firstly, recruitment quotas. It is a little known fact that I use recruitment quotas to determine whether I can recruit any new gods, goddesses or demons into my forces, as I have to try and keep an EXACTLY equal number of Heavenly or demonic forces in the ranks, in order to maintain neutrality. What do you think would happen if the demons found out I had just recruited ten-thousand ex-Valkyries into my ranks? It wasn't so bad when Urd was one of the Daimankaichōs but now, with Hagall in charge? I have NO idea what would happen if my forces were suddenly inundated with goddesses. I could face a mass walk-out of loyal demons… or worse, I could lose the support of Hell. Which, believe it or not, brings me onto my second point". He paused as Peorth re-entered the room, carrying the bawling twins.

"Do you mind?" she asked, pulling up her shirt to expose a breast and Jago simply waved his hand, averting his eyes out of respect.

"Go right ahead. You do what you need to do". It was then that Urd stepped forward and took one of the twins, twitching aside her own dress.

"They may not be my actually babies" she said to the strange look she got form one or two of the Valkyries, "but they are just as much my family as Jarrett is". She narrowed her eyes. "Does that bother you?" The offending Valkyries lowered their gazes and then turned back to Jago.

"Umm… I've lost my thread" he said. "Where was I going with this?"

"You're second point" Valmeyar said. "Something about losing support".

"Ah yes. Well, as you know, the Guardians receive funding from various different sources. Some we get from the various races but the main bulk is provided by the United Nations, Heaven and Hell. Now, with Osiris in power, we're likely to lose all of our support from the; approximately forty per cent of our budget. With that gone, it's going to be a stretch to make ends meet in our forces… and if I lose the support of Hell as well, by hiring ten-thousand Valkyries… well, you can guess how that's going to work out for me. I would have to disband a greater part of the forces, scrap most of the gear, including most of the Isolus Class and withdraw all support operations from nearby worlds. To put it simply, it would be a complete and utter clusterfuck!"

"I think we see the point" Kayrune said, tapping out her pipe. "You CAN'T help us, without risking the collapse of the entire Corp, so you won't do anything… I suppose we can't fault you for trying to protect those already in your care".

"But there must be something you can do!" Vayrag interjected. "I mean, you could speak to the High Council or-"

"The High Council can't do anything either" said Vayrag. "Unless Osiris declares open war on another realm, there is precious little they can do… and by then, it's likely that it will be too late. And war WILL come, if I know that bastard. He despises humans almost as much as he hates demons and he will most likely be ITCHING for a chance to start a fight with them either of them".

"So we're all buggered" Hlin said. "Situation normal, all fucked up".

"Aye, SNAFU indeed" Jago said, tapping his chin. The other goddesses looked dejected, unsure what to do now.

"What about you personally?" Vayrag asked, looking directly at Jago. "Could you take any of us?"

"Not bloody likely" he said. "I may still be a blacksmith but I make barely enough to support myself, never mind anyone else… it's gonna be a struggle with Temeraire and… oh, what's-his-face here, never mind anyone else". The Valkyrie's head sunk down once more. "However, there may be… SOMETHING I can do".

"What's that?" Lind asked cautiously.

"Well… did I ever tell you about the Outrider Division?"

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"Ok" Temeraire, gasping for breath. "EITHER you have NO idea what a friendly sparring match is supposed to be OR you're trying to see me naked!" She looked down at her soot-blackened uniform and at the holes where Beregond and Bloody Thorn's Plasma Bolts had burned away sections of the thick leather, leaving her skin exposed.

"Don't blame me" Beregond said. "I train like I mean to fight; I don't hold back. In fact, I'm amazed that you survived so many direct hits form Plasma Bolts, without so much as a minor burn".

"How in the world did you learn a spell like that anyway?" Temeraire demanded. "My dad invented it, so how the Hell do you know how to do it?"

"I was taught by my farther that I should learn from my enemies and if possible, turn their own attacks against them. As such, I took the liberty of studying my opponents moves… including those used by your father and the other Valkyries. As to seeing you naked, I have to ask; what would that achieve? I doubt that being naked would impede your fighting skills… in fact, it might improve your chances as you would be more free to move, compared to when you have cloths on".

"Do you seriously not know anything? I mean… were you raised in a cave?"

"Yes actually I was". Temeraire paused and straightened herself, lowering her guard.

"Seriously? How old are you?"

"I'm thirty-two". She was shocked.

"Thirty-two? You're barely any older than I am… although that makes sense; you look about as old as I do". She paused again and straightened herself. "Anyways, I think that's enough for now. I've got a measure of your strength, so now I've just got to work out where we go from here". She snapped her fingers, instantly repairing her cloths and then jerked her head towards the house. "Come on, let's get a drink". Grudgingly, Beregond followed her and the pair proceeded towards the house, entering the kitchen through the back door once more. "Now I have to admit" Temeraire said as she flicked the kettle on and started rummaging through the cupboards, "you're pretty tough. I've never met a god who could hold his own against me".

"Why thanks" Beregond said with a faint grin.

"Don't get cocky though. There are few male Valkyries in the service and I've fought most of them… and beaten each of them in turn". She paused, reaching for a biscuit tin but withdrew her hand with a snap and a yelp. "I can't believe he still puts fucking mousetraps in the biscuits!" she swore, yanking the trap off of her fingers, while Beregond grinned at her. "It's not funny!" she snapped.

"It is" he said, chuckling as she wrung her fingers, trying to get some feeling back into them.

"Well, I'll admit, you've got some power yourself… for a Valkyrie that is. There are few who can challenge both myself and Bloody Thorn without summoning their own angel, even amongst the Forgotten Army". Temeraire stopped in mid-motion and turned slowly to face him.

"Without summoning my angel?" she asked carefully and Beregond shrugged.

"Well yeah. There are only a handful of beings who can challenge me without their angel. My father was one but-" He stopped and shook his head. "Anyway, just accept the compliment. It's rare that I give one, especially to someone outside of our ranks. If you're angle is as powerful as you are-"

"Well that's just it" Temeraire said quietly. "I don't have an angel. I never had one and most likely, I never will. Apparently, I simply can't support one". Beregond looked stunned.

"What? But you mother… and your father! They-"

"They both support two, yes. My mother has a set of twins, while my father had his funny quirk that allowed him to support Archs… even my brother has an angel; an Arch of his own. But me? No". She turned away. "I'll be back later" she said and disappeared out of the back door once more.

"I think I upset her" he said mildly as Bloody Thorn appeared behind him.

"So what? She's supposed to be our Mistress, not our friend. Worse; she's an enemy. Remember the plan".

"I know, I know. The first chance we get, we get the Hell out of here. But for now, I can't help but feel sorry for her".

"Don't you dare start talking like that!" Bloody Thorn snapped. "It was crap like that corrupted Weth. I don't want that shit happening to you too!"

"Alright! I get it! Hellfire! What's your problem Bloody Thorn?"

"I need to keep you on track. What would your father say if you went soft?"

"He wouldn't say" Beregond admitted. "He'd just kill me".

8888

"So we're all in agreement? You wanna try for the Outriders?" All of the Valkyrie Captains nodded bar Lind nodded. "Well it's you funeral. You know exactly what you're letting yourselves in for and I won't try to stop you. I can only say… good luck and don't do anything stupid".

"Thank you" Valmeyar said. "It's not much but you've at least given us something to work with. At least this way, when the shit hits the fan, which it will, we'll be ready for it".

"Are you really sure that war will come?" Jago had to ask. "Can you be certain?"

"Osiris hates Valkyries, he hates demons and he hates humans, in no particular order. Yes, war is coming" Lind said. "And thanks to you, they have a chance to be ready to for it".

"Hang on… they?" Kayrune asked. "You're not coming with us?"

"No" said Lind. "I have other business to attend to. Business pertaining to the Jötunns".

"So, you're finally going through with it?" Jago asked and Lind nodded.

"I've got some spare time now. I might as well". The other Valkyries looked perplexed, even Valmeyar.

"What are you two talking about?" she demanded. "And what's this about the Jötunns?"

"It's something we've been planning for years" Lind said with a shrug. "A… safety net, in the event that something goes wrong. But I need to be in contact with the Jötunns for it to work. For obvious reasons, this was impossible while I was the Almighty One but now…"

"That doesn't make anything any clearer" Valmeyar commented but then let it drop.

"Well in that case, Urd and I had better be returning to Heaven" Peorth said, standing and bowing her head to Jago.

"Wait… you're not banished? Then why are you here?"

"Moral support" Urd said casually and then smiled. "Oh and that reminds me; we're going to need you to sign some release forms, saying we were here on official Paladin business, so that we don't get in trouble with the higher-ups. I hope that isn't a problem?" She gave a sweet little smile and Jago couldn't help but nod his head.

"Alright, alright, I'll sign the forms… provided none of the words has more than three letters".

"I'll see what I can do".

"We had better be going too" Valmeyar said. "If we're to make it into the Outriders, then we had best speak to Weth as soon as possible".

"Well before you go, might you permit me to at least invite you all to breakfast. I mean, this may well be the last decent meal you'll have for a while". All heads snapped around.

"Breakfast?" Hlin asked hopefully.

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"I can't fucking believe this!" Bloody Thorn whined. "Why should we have to go searching for the stupid whore?"

"Careful!" Beregond hissed. "She might hear you!"

"So what if she does?" the angle demanded. "It's her own fault for running off like that!"

"True… but we kinda need to find her, if we're to survive today. You do remember who her parents are, right?" Bloody Thorn paused and then nodded.

"Good point" she said.

"And what point might that be?" The pair whipped around at the sound of the voice and looked up, into the boughs of a tree and there, perched on one of the branches was Temeraire. The young Valkyrie dropped nimbly for to the ground.

"There you are!" Beregond said with relief. "We were-" ,he stopped himself, "-told to find you. Twoarchs says it's time for breakfast".

"Don't call him that" Temeraire said with a frown.

"Call him what?"

"My dad. Don't call him Twoarchs. It's a name that is only used when people are trying to insult him".

"Then what do you suggest we call him?" Bloody Thorn snapped.

"Call him Master… Master Finch or possibly, Master Jago, if he lets you".

"Master? Are you serious?" the angel asked distastefully.

"Yes, I'm serious. Technically speaking, you are my Apprentice and so, you should call me Mistress and as he's my father, he's Master to you".

"Very well" Beregond said grudgingly. "If you say that I must call him Master, then I shall. But like I said, it's time for breakfast".

"Well let's hope dad doesn't decide to cancel it again". Beregond shrugged and his angel retreated inside him. The pair walked on in silence for a while, until Beregond spoke up.

"I have to ask, why'd you run off".

"It was either leave then or hit you" Temeraire said simply. "I've always had trouble with other gods because of my lack of an angel and it makes me angry whenever someone reminds me of my weakness".

"Weakness?"

"Well what else could it be? I have no potential of any kind. As such, I have to compensate for my lack of an angel by increasing my physical strength. Probably not the brightest of ideas, considering what happened to the last guy who did that but…"

"The last guy?"

"Deaderuss".

"Ah". There was silence between them as they continued towards the house, until it was again broken by Beregond once more. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry. If I had known, I wouldn't have mentioned it".

"Forget it" Temmy said dismissively.

"And it adds double credence to what I said earlier; you must be truly formidable to match myself and Bloody Thorn, without an angel of any sort".

"Again, forget it". She paused and cocked her head at him, her long fringe flopping over her eye. "Wait… what do you want?"

"What?"

"You're buttering me up with compliments; aka, you must want something".

"Is that really how it works?" Beregond asked. "And I'm being serious. Compliments are few and far between in the Forgotten Army. Whenever they're given, they're meant". Temeraire gave him a queer look but decided not to press the issue. "And now, I've got a question for you; what were you doing up in that tree?"

"I was scouting" Temeraire said. "I wanted to work out where that carcharodontosaurus lives, so we can avoid it tomorrow". Beregond was silent for a second but then he nodded.

"That's… surprisingly practical".

"Hey, just because I'm pretty, doesn't mean I'm stupid!"

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Thousands of miles away, a city lay in ruins. Once a mighty place, it had been destroyed, not by monsters or by war. This was Pyongyang; the former capital of North Korea. It had been destroyed by its own people, in a final, desperate act by their government, to drive back the Valkyries, who had fallen upon their nation, upon the discovery of the barbarism that they so willingly inflicted on their own people. And so, in a final, futile act, the North Koreans had nuked the city, hoping to wipe out the Valkyries. But they had failed and now, it was a shattered wasteland of broken buildings and carbon shadows of those incinerated by the blast. And below the city, hidden with a bunker, built to withstand just such a blast, Gracious Penitence met with her council.

"It's time" she said, looking at each of her warriors in turn. The three robed figures bowed their cowled heads, their faces hidden deep in the shadows below. "You know what you must do; draw out the Paladin and bring him here. Him and his precious daughter, so that they may see what happens when they dare to challenge our power. Now go my Nazgul. Draw them… like poison from a wound. Draw them into my grasp". The three Nazgul nodded and stood, as the angel turned away and smiled towards the chained form of the Gate, who hung painfully from the wall. "And don't you worry either; your part is coming soon".

**Authors Note: It's been a busy week for me. All kinds of crazy shit. Still, nearly the weekend. And as you can see, it looks like I've managed to get back into my step again. No more short chapters for THIS monkey! However, there's something I've been thinking about and I want some opinions on it: whether Lind is actually as powerful as I thought she was. If you're interested, you can check out my deviantart account (jacoblee0463) and you'll see it under the journal entry "A thought on Lind". **


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